The Braves’ starting pitching has been beyond a pleasant surprise to begin the season. They essentially have an entire rotation sitting on the IL, with three arms that were slated to be in their Opening Day rotation going down in the months leading up to Spring Training in Hurston Waldrep, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Spencer Strider.

Of the three, Strider, who suffered an oblique injury, is the closest to returning, making his first rehab assignment on Thursday night with the Rome Emperors.

The first couple of frames were a breeze. Strider’s fastball topped out at 97, and he struck out three of the first six batters he faced, retiring all of them in order.

A hiccup came in the third inning, but he was able to work around a walk in another scoreless frame. That was about the only thing worth complaining about in Strider’s return to the mound. His control was nowhere close to where he hopes it will be when he rejoins the Braves, as he threw just 27 strikes out of 50 pitches before being relieved in the fourth after allowing a hit and a walk.

For a rehab start, it was a step in the right direction for the hard-throwing right-hander, but Rome was never going to offer a pitcher of his caliber much competition. We’ll likely see him in Double-A Columbus or right down the road in Triple-A Gwinnett his next time out, and because the Braves’ rotation has been so steady to start the season, there’s absolutely no need to rush him. Strider will have to make at least two more starts in the minors, and from there, the Braves will probably decide whether he needs another before calling him up to Atlanta. But it’s very possible we see him back with the Braves in a couple of weeks.

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Photo:  David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire