NL DIVISION SERIES: PHILLIES VS BRAVES

October 11, 2023

Spencer Strider

Citizens Bank Park

Atlanta Braves

Pregame 3 Press Conference

Q. Strider, how much are you looking forward to getting back out there for Game 4?

SPENCER STRIDER: Yeah. I'm excited. I'm excited about Game 3 first. That's kind of where our mind is right now, and obviously we had a good win on Monday, and so we're trying to keep the momentum going. We're excited to get going.

Q. Spencer, how would you describe pitching in this environment?

SPENCER STRIDER: Yeah, it's a great place to pitch. I mean, even if you're not on the supported team, you know, you got phenomenal fans here that are very passionate, and that's great for baseball.

It's a good postseason environment, to say the least. And I think if you can figure out how to kind of focus on the right things, it's good energy for you.

Q. Spencer, you've seen your guys rake all year. You knew they were going to shake the rust off. How nice was it to see that happen in the last three or four innings of that game the other night?

SPENCER STRIDER: Yeah. It's terrific. We all kept saying in the dugout, just be confident, don't have any doubt. We're going to get it. We're going to get it.

And those guys went out and found a way. And in the postseason, that's what you gotta do. And that's just the calmness and the focus that they've had all year.

Q. And Harris, I just wanted to ask you, is your guy. What did you think of what he did?

SPENCER STRIDER: Yeah. He can't surprise me anymore. I've seen the guy do so many incredible things, and that's just another one to add to the list.

It's just amazing, like I said before, just the ease with which he plays the game and just how comfortable he is going out there and doing it every day and never gets discouraged. Always got great focus, great attitude. And it's a pleasure to play with him.

Q. Spencer, how would you describe this rivalry now that you've had a couple of playoff series, couple of fights in the division, some great games? Is it at its peak, so to speak?

SPENCER STRIDER: I don't know. I don't know that I'd say we have a rivalry necessarily. I think that word gets overused a little bit. But we want to beat everybody we play.

You know, I mean, we're not so focused on our opponents so much as doing what we need to do to be successful and trying to keep our focus throughout the course of the game regardless of the opponent.

And they've got a lot of phenomenal players. And there's a lot of respect between us, at least on our side. Yeah, we're excited for the opportunity, and we're looking forward to getting the rest of the series going.

Q. Spencer, we just found out about Bryce Elder making the start tonight. What is your excitement level to see him make his first postseason start, and kind of maybe if you had any advice for a guy that's getting ready to do it on this stage, what would it be?

SPENCER STRIDER: Yeah, he's an All Star. When he's right, he's one of the best, most effective pitchers in baseball. He's confident. He's calm, and I think that this environment is going to bring the best out of him.

And I'm excited to watch him. And I know he's looking forward for the opportunity. So, yeah, I'm excited. And I think we're all feeling really good about it.

Q. Spencer, you've talked about channelling the energy in a good way on a big stage. When and how, I guess, did you first learn to do that?

SPENCER STRIDER: Well, I think -- that's a long answer really. But I think I'm a very detail-oriented and, I guess, purposeful preparer, in a way.

So I think what's good for me is to sort of set myself in a direction pregame and just in my daily preparation that kind of allows the energy of playing in the Big Leagues, and this October, playing in the postseason, to aid in my competitiveness and my abilities.

And I think it's something that only experience can really provide you is the chance to learn to benefit from that adrenaline rather than it be a problem.

Q. And do you remember the first time that you got a sense of Bryce's confidence or calmness when you first met him?

SPENCER STRIDER: Yeah. I mean, I think it's just something that was pretty evident for as long as I've known him. We came into Spring Training in '21. He was always laid back, always very even.

As I've gotten to know him more, he will share some opinions and get fired up about things, which is fun. He's a fun guy to kind of poke when you can.

But it's kind of like Mike in a way. They're both just very naturally talented players, and they're able to be so effective through what kind of appears to be just an ease with which they play the game and their natural ability just comes out.

Q. Spencer, I know we're focused on Game 3, but we only get to talk to you now. So when it comes to Game 4, you've already gone through this lineup once. So how can that help you preparing for Game 4 and at what moment in your career did you know you love pitching in big moments like this?

SPENCER STRIDER: When I was a kid, I was out in the front yard just pretending I was pitching in the World Series. I think that's kind of what a lot of kids' journey is like.

Nobody wants to come into the game in a regular season game in June. You're always preparing or visualizing yourself in the biggest games in the biggest moments.

Like I said, the energy and the adrenaline is good for you, if you can harness it. So it's exciting.

I don't remember your first question. You'll have to remind you.

Q. It was just about (inaudible).

SPENCER STRIDER: Yeah. I have been asked about it before. I feel like I've faced the Phillies so many times, it kind of comes up. With any team, it's the same. I think you stick to your strengths and there's sort of an element of randomness that makes it difficult to look too heavily on past outings or past performances just because you don't know what's going to happen.

Certainly in the postseason, a lot of that strategy and game planning goes out the window and you just gotta go compete and find a way to get the job done. So that's really all I'm focused on doing is just competing as well as I can and putting us in a position to win the game.

Q. Spencer, rivalry or no rivalry, it seems like you're an increasingly integral part of it every year. How does it feel to kind of be on that stage of starting games one and four and what does it mean to you to know that your teammates will be relying on you so heavily given the stakes tomorrow, whether you win or lose tonight?

SPENCER STRIDER: Yeah, that's like what we said. That's what you visualize your whole life is the opportunity to go out and pitch in a game like this and to play in a game like this.

And I know the rest of our team is excited for that opportunity. And like I said a couple days ago, we've been looking forward to October for a long time now. So this is the opportunity that we wanted, and I think regardless of who we play or where we play, we're going to try and bring the same focus and confidence that made us successful in the regular season and apply that every day that we show up to the park.

Q. Spencer, why has Snit been such a good fit with you guys as manager do you think?

SPENCER STRIDER: Well, he's just a very confident and calm presence. There's been times where it feels like the sky is falling a little bit, and you look over and you see a calm, steady guy like that, not panicking at all. So it provides sort of a confidence and reassurance that everything is going to be all right. We gotta stick to our plan, stick to our preparation.

And I think that spreads pretty quickly and makes a lot of guys, especially young guys like myself, very confident.

Q. Spencer, Bryce's numbers in the first half were stronger than they were in the second half. I'm curious kind of what you've seen with your eyes over his course of the season and where he is right now?

SPENCER STRIDER: Well, I think he's in a great place. This is the postseason. You can throw your regular-season stats, your law of averages, all that out the window. And I'm analytical statistical guy, but at the end of the day, we're trying to win one game, today.

And we'll focus on tomorrow when we get there. But I couldn't think of anybody better to hand the ball to. And like I said, we're focused on just competing as hard as we can and be as confident as we can, and I know that's what Bryce is going to do.