Spencer Strider Says He Would Prefer Games Without Fans

Spencer Strider has had a fantastic season and is a contender for the NL Cy Young Award. This week, the Atlanta Braves righty was asked if he had any hot sports takes. And, man did he unleash a doozy. Strider said he didn’t think there should be fans at sporting events because it gets too loud.

Check it out:

What I think is interesting here is that he claimed to have liked the 2020 season — in which MLB didn’t allow fans in stadiums — but he didn’t actually play during that campaign. Strider was drafted in 2020 and didn’t make his debut until October 1, 2021. So I guess he just liked watching games on TV with no fans? That’s … odd.

There might be something to Strider not liking noise. He has made one career postseason start and it did not go well. Last October he started Game 3 of the NLDS in Philadelphia against the Phillies. He only lasted 2.1 innings, allowing five runs on three hits, with two walks and four strikeouts. That included surrendering a three-run home run to Rhys Hoskins. The Phillies went on to win the game 9-1.

Thanks to that start, Strider’s career playoff ERA is 19.29, with a 2.14 WHIP. It’ll be interesting to see how he handles the postseason this year.

Strider’s 2023 numbers are excellent. He’s 19-5 with a 3.81 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and an MLB-best 274 strikeouts in 181.2 innings.