Strider headed to first MLB All-Star Game
By: Cameron Burnett July 2, 2023

Spencer Strider’s rise in the MLB is a monumental one, and now he’s an All-Star. The man famous for his mustache just as much as his pitching talent spent three years at Clemson, an All-ACC freshman in 2018 before injury and COVID-19 kept him from his next two seasons with the Tigers. Regardless of the obstacles, Strider went in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB draft and signed in June that year.

The first call-up came in 2021, when Strider appeared in two games in October, but no one would predict what would come in his true rookie season. Strider posted a 2.67 ERA with an absurd 13.8 K/9. With his velocity that reached over 100 MPH and the iconic mustache, he became a fan favorite in Atlanta. On top of that, he received a six-year, $75 million extension to stay with the Braves strong young core through 2029.

Now in 2023, the momentum continued and he’s 10-2, headed to his first MLB All-Star Game.

Strider is one of many reasons for the Braves’ success, holding an NL-leading 56 wins even without the likes of Max Fried and Kyle Wright on the mound. The former Tiger stepped up in their absence as Atlanta’s ace and with the home-run spree the team is on, it’s been easy pickings. With his first All-Star Game coming up, Strider gets to enjoy one of the most exciting weeks in baseball and celebrate all he’s achieved at just 24 years old.