Strider struck out five over two perfect innings of relief in Thursday's loss to the Reds.
Entering the game with Atlanta down 6-1 in the top of the seventh inning, Strider sliced through the heart of Cincinnati's lineup. The rookie right-hander needed only 24 pitches (16 strikes) to breeze through his outing, hitting triple digits with his fastball twice and consistently sitting at 99 mph with his heater. Strider figures to handle a multi-inning role in a stacked Atlanta bullpen to begin the season, but his ability to pile up strikeouts while collecting the occasional win or hold should still give him fantasy value in deeper formats even if he doesn't graduate to a more high-profile gig.