(Photo credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images)

Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider showed no signs of rust in his return to the mound Monday, striking out six of the eight Boston batters he faced in 2 2/3 perfect innings.

Strider said it was 'fun to play' again following his sparkling Grapefruit League performance against the Red Sox in North Port, Fla.

'That was good,' Strider said. 'It was like a little reward sprinkled on the pathway, a good test for the work you've been doing.'

Strider, 26, had not pitched in a game since undergoing surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament last April. Coming off a 20-win season in 2023, he made only two starts in 2024 before sustaining the season-ending elbow injury.

Strider followed up three-pitch strikeouts of Vaughn Grissom and Roman Anthony in the first inning by striking out the side in the second inning. He was removed after fanning Trayce Thompson on three pitches for the second out of the third inning.

He later joked that he didn't realize there were only two outs at the time and inadvertently started walking toward the Atlanta dugout.

'I have not pitched in a while, so I forget how many outs there are in an inning,' he said. 'I was not a math major in college, either, so counting to three is a big chore for me.

'I think I got a little ahead of myself and forgot that they had to come get me, and I can't just walk off. I have to have adult supervision.'

Strider is 32-10 with a 3.47 ERA in 67 career games (54 starts) since making his Braves debut in 2021. He has struck out 495 batters in 329 2/3 innings.

Runner-up for National League Rookie of the Year in 2022, he made the All-Star team in 2023 and led the majors in wins (20) and strikeouts (281). He finished fourth in the 2023 NL Cy Young Award voting.

--Field Level Media