The Atlanta Braves placed Spencer Strider on the 15-day injured list on Sunday, one day after announcing the star right-hander has an ulnar collateral ligament sprain in his pitching elbow.
In a corresponding move, the Braves recalled right-hander Allan Winans from Triple-A Gwinnett.
Winans, 28, could be a long-relief option in the coming days or start in Strider’s spot in the rotation Wednesday against the New York Mets.
He was 1-2 with a 5.29 ERA, eight walks and 34 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings over six games (all starts) last season with Atlanta.
Strider, 25, left his Friday start against the Arizona Diamondbacks after four innings due to elbow discomfort.
Strider will be evaluated by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, at a date yet to be determined, the team said Saturday.
Strider, who finished fourth in the National League Cy Young Award voting last season, led the majors with 20 wins and 281 strikeouts in 186 2/3 innings. In his first two starts this year, however, he has gone just nine total innings, and his velocity has been down a few miles per hour. He struck out four and walked three on Friday in the Braves’ 6-5, 10-inning win.
In his two starts, Strider has an ERA of 7.00, more than double his career mark of 3.47.
Strider underwent Tommy John elbow surgery in 2019 while at Clemson, and a second such procedure would likely sideline him for at least a year.
