Former Clemson Ace Opens Another MLB Season Injured

In 1789, Founding Father Benjamin Franklin coined the iconic yet overused term, “there are three guarantees in life: death, taxes, and Spencer Strider opening the MLB season on IL. ” 1789 was the last season Strider was fully healthy , with the right-hander being sidelined this season with an oblique strain. The former Clemson Tiger was a freshman All-American in 2018, going 5-2 with 70 strikeouts.

He received a medical redshirt after an arm injury in his sophomore year, and was selected in the 4th round of the 2020 MLB draft after COVID shortened his Junior campaign. Since joining the MLB, Strider has proven to be one of the premier pitchers in baseball when healthy, but those healthy seasons have been few and far between. After going 31-10 with 483 strikeouts in his first two full seasons, leading the MLB in wins, win percentage, and strikeouts in 2023, Strider has rarely seen the mound.

He missed almost all of 2024 due to injury, pitching just nine innings. Clemson adds switch-hitting JUCO standout Colin Guerra 📸 Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina, Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images https://t. co/ACELyTihVw pic.

twitter. com/PvYPsrbsgV — Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) March 24, 2026 He opened 2025 on IL, but was able to come back in time to go 7-14 and look like a shell of his former self. Now entering his third straight season with injury concerns, it’s becoming clearer that the former Clemson Ace’s professional dominance may be short-lived.