Spencer Strider Says He'd Rather Play Without Fans In Stadiums For Some Reason

Spencer Strider has become one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball for the Atlanta Braves.

After bursting onto the scene in 2022, he's continued to be nearly unhittable in 2023, striking out 274 hitters in 181 innings. Despite a higher ERA, his underlying metrics have been exceptional, leading to a 5.4 WAR season.

But if a recent interview with him is to be believed, he may have been even better. How? If Major League Baseball removed fans from stadiums like in 2020.

Strider spoke to Instagram account MLB Fits, and was asked for his "hot sports takes." And boy oh boy did he deliver a hot take.

“Absolutely, there should be no fans, 2020 season, no fans,” Strider said. “Get rid of the fans, it’s too loud. It’s too loud, everybody be quiet. We don’t need the cheering, we know you’re watching. I don’t need the fans.”

“You stay out the stadium, I mean, back it up, he continued." "Let’s do a no lower-bowl thing. … Upper decks, great. Outfield, phenomenal. We don’t need you around the dugouts. Just try and be quiet.” 

What now?

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 01: Spencer Strider #99 of the Atlanta Braves pitches against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on April 01, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)

Spencer Strider's Gotta Be Joking...Right?

Strider's answer certainly qualifies as a "hot take," but he has to be kidding, right?

Virtually every player who played in 2020 spoke about how bizarre it was and how much they missed crowds creating energy and excitement. And he wants to replicate that?

Not to mention that he didn't actually play in the majors in 2020, so why would he want to bring back something he never experienced?

His tone of voice seems to vary between sounding serious and sounding sarcastic. And Strider is known for his unique personality and having a sense of humor. So it has to be a joke.

But what it if it isn't?

Strider's lucky enough to play for a team that packs fans in night after night, averaging over 39,000 per game to rank fifth in MLB. Apparently to him, that may actually be a bad thing.