Braves receive concerning injury update on ace starter

Strider was lifted against the Arizona Diamondbacks with discomfort in his elbow after pitching just four innings on Friday night.

The Braves then sent him for an MRI that showed the damage. The worst case scenario, here, would be season-ending surgery. 

This is extremely concerning news for the Braves, as Strider is not only the club's best pitcher but one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. When he is on top of his game there are few starters in the league that are more dominant. Strider finished fourth in the National League Cy Young voting a year ago, posting a 20-5 record with a 3.86 ERA and 281 strikeouts. He led the league in wins, strikeouts and strikeouts per nine innings (13.5).

If Strider has to undergo surgery or misses extended time, it will add his name to a shockingly long list of injured starting pitchers.

Eury Perez, Sandy Alcantara, Shane McClanahan, Shane Bieber, Jacob deGrom, Gerrit Cole and Lucas Giolito are just some of the more prominent names currently sidelined due to health concerns. There are four Cy Young winners among that group. 

The big concern now for the Braves comes down to whether or not they have enough starting pitching depth to deal with the absence of Strider. Max Fried, Charlie Morton and Chris Sale still form the foundation of a strong staff, but Strider is the pitcher who really brings it all together.