Overview
- In his Grapefruit League debut at Ed Smith Stadium, Strider worked two innings, allowing one run on two hits with two strikeouts.
- His four-seam fastball averaged 93.1 mph and topped at 94.3 mph, and he said he is pacing his build-up and “hiding the radar guns.”
- Induced vertical break on the heater measured about 17 inches, up from 16.4 last season but short of his 2023 level of 18.4.
- Strider acknowledged that diminished fastball shape and command hurt him in 2025, when he posted a 4.45 ERA, 1.396 WHIP and 131 strikeouts in 125.1 innings.
- Analysts point to three keys for a 2026 rebound: more velocity and movement, reduced pulled contact and home runs, and improved command.