If you rank every pitcher with 500+ PAs (an arbitrary threshold selected because it's the largest number Strider meets), Strider was #1 in all MLB in xwOBA at .242. So in that sense there is no denying he was elite last year.
Of course, there are many caveats:
- Strider only started 20 games, and came out of the BP for 11 games. Going max effort as a BP arm allowed him to push that overall xwOBA down. His xERA as a SP (2.77) was worse than Fried's (2.43). Out of the BP Strider posted an xERA of 2.22, so you can see how those max effort innings helped lower his overall numbers.
- #2 on that list is Cristian Javier at .244, who I'm sure most on this board don't think is elite (or have even heard of him). Like Strider, he is a SP/BP hybrid who benefitted from that type of usage.
- #7 on that list is Nestor Cortez. Who? Exactly. Another SP/BP hybrid who made a lot of starts in 2022. Are folks calling him elite?
So yes, Strider had a great 2022. But let's not jump the gun calling him elite until he does it for 1-2 full seasons of 30+ starts....like Fried has.