PHILADELPHIA — The Atlanta Braves will turn to rookie Spencer Strider to start Game 3 of their divisional series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday afternoon and veteran Charlie Morton will get the ball in Game 4, the team announced Friday morning.
Strider, 23, hasn't pitched in a game since Sept. 18 because of a minor oblique issue, but after several bullpen sessions over the past week, the Braves declared him ready to go.
The team waited to make the announcement as it contemplated how he would be most effective in the best-of-five series after not throwing in a game for almost a month.
Atlanta also could have pitched him out of the bullpen. «We're going to use him,» Braves manager Brian Snitker said Thursday. «That's probably the biggest discussion, is how we're going to use this kid for our best advantage.» Strider was fantastic during the regular season, when he posted a 2.67 ERA as a reliever and then a starter.