MIAMI — The Braves will play without Spencer Strider for the remainder of 2024.

On Friday, Strider underwent surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow with internal brace, the Braves announced Saturday. Dr. Keith Meister, who evaluated Strider earlier in the week, performed the procedure in Arlington, Texas.

As unfortunate as it is, season-ending surgery seemed like the expected route after the Braves announced Strider’s MRI revealed damage to the UCL in his right elbow. They called it a UCL sprain.

Instead of undergoing a traditional Tommy John surgery, the 25-year-old Strider and the Braves opted for an internal-brace procedure — which gives added support to the repaired UCL with fiber tape. In 2019, Strider underwent Tommy John surgery while pitching for Clemson, which means he has now had two elbow procedures.

The general recovery timeline for an internal brace procedure is around 12 months — shorter than the typical Tommy John rehabilitation process. If Strider’s rehab goes as planned, he would be able to pitch early next season.

Strider is the latest star to have elbow surgery. Over the offseason, Shohei Ohtani had a second one. Last season, Jacob deGrom underwent his second one. Cleveland’s Shane Bieber just had surgery. The Yankees’ Gerrit Cole is dealing with a UCL injury, though it doesn’t appear to require surgery.

The good news is the expectation that Strider will heal fully. He eventually will be on a mound again wearing a Braves uniform. He can recapture, and perhaps build on, what has made him so dominant. One day, we might view this as simply a bump in his journey.

The bad news is the possibility that always existed when the Braves announced his injury: They are now without one of their aces for the rest of the season — a campaign that has World Series aspirations. In addition to being a strikeout maestro, Strider’s competitiveness and attitude rubs off on his team. In a short time, he’s become one of the club’s leaders.

The Braves’ World Series chances obviously are better with a healthy Strider. But the Braves are loaded still from top to bottom, even in the rotation.

Max Fried, Chris Sale and Charlie Morton are a formidable top three — and that doesn’t include any potential trade that could be made closer to the deadline. If pitching to their respective capabilities, Fried, Sale and Morton still could lead the Braves to the promised land.

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