Strider reacts to first MLB All-Star selection
By: Cameron Burnett July 4, 2023

The Atlanta Braves are rolling, and a large part of it is thanks to former Clemson Tiger Spencer Strider. With him on the mound this season, Atlanta is 15-2 and they’re racing for the most wins in baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Thanks to his strong season so far, Strider was selected to the 2023 MLB All-Star Game. On the same day, Strider threw for 6.2 innings and had nine strikeouts to secure a sweep over the Marlins. After the game, he reacted to the news and expressed gratification in the moment.

“I think that’s one of the best gratifications there is in this game. Knowing that the rest of the league and your teammates think highly of you and your coaches,” Strider said. “We have a lot of people that have put a lot into us and helped us be successful and I give a lot of credit to them.”

There’s no doubt the work Atlanta’s pitching staff has done is paying off. In the absence of Max Friend and Kyle Wright, Strider and Bryce Elder have become All-Stars for the first time in their careers. Both young talents, they’re key cogs in a Braves machine that can’t stop winning. The All-Star experience is more than just the game, as it’s a week of celebration for players like Strider, and he hadn’t even talked to his family about it yet.

“I’m going to call my wife and let her know, and yeah, she’s gonna be glad that she convinced me to pack a suit,” Strider said.