Spencer Strider leapt to the front of the line in the race for National League Rookie of the Year after last night's stunning performance. Atlanta Braves fans are thrilled to have two horses in the running. Currently, both Strider and Michael Harris II are favorites for the prestigious award.During the Braves' 3-0 win over the Colorado Rockies Thursday evening, Strider was untouchable. The 23-year-old righty tossed eight scoreless innings in which he allowed just two hits and no walks. He etched his name in the Braves' history books by striking out 16 hitters, breaking John Smoltz's 2005 record.MLB@MLBIs @SpencerSTRIDer your NL ROY?6417463Is @SpencerSTRIDer your NL ROY? https://t.co/42R0GdJ9XiFor many baseball fans, Strider is the clear favorite for the NL Rookie of the Year, but these awards are never straightforward. Although he has displayed maturity, efficiency, and poise on the mound, Strider faces competition from fellow Atlanta Brave Michael Harris II. Fans are now debating who will edge out whom in this tightly contested battle.Atlantaholic@Atlantaholic_Mike Harris is special but Strider is the ROY. May even be in the Cy Young conversation.605Mike Harris is special but Strider is the ROY. May even be in the Cy Young conversation.Lucas Graham@lgraham8908Couldn’t think of a better kid to break Smoltz’s Braves strikeout record than Spencer Strider. MASTERFUL performance #ForTheA #Braves3Couldn’t think of a better kid to break Smoltz’s Braves strikeout record than Spencer Strider. MASTERFUL performance 🔥#ForTheA #BravesStrider joined an elite group of pitchers with his 16-strikeout haul. Only Roger Clemens, Kerry Wood, and Max Scherzer have reached the coveted 20-strikeout mark in a game.frog@froggertoPitchers with >= 16K, <= 2H, and 0BB in a game:Kerry Wood (in his 20K game)Corey KluberPedro MartinezJohan SantanaMax ScherzerandSpencer Strider30230Pitchers with >= 16K, <= 2H, and 0BB in a game:Kerry Wood (in his 20K game)Corey KluberPedro MartinezJohan SantanaMax ScherzerandSpencer StriderMeargleSchmeargle@BravesareLords@MLB @SpencerSTRIDer @Braves I mean...he just beat a HOFer's K record in a single game...as a rookie. If you don't think he's the prohibitive favorite at this point you're just blind.2@MLB @SpencerSTRIDer @Braves I mean...he just beat a HOFer's K record in a single game...as a rookie. If you don't think he's the prohibitive favorite at this point you're just blind.In MLB history, only 30 games have seen a pitcher reach at least 16 strikeouts. Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson both achieved the feat four times in their careers.Spencer Strider is now ranked fourth in the National League with 174 strikeouts on the seasonSpencer Strider walks off the field in the sixth inning of a game against the St. Louis Cardinals.Spencer Strider has a 9-4 record with an impressive 2.67 ERA this season. His strikeout rate per nine innings of 13.66 is one of the best in the league. He has chalked up more strikeouts than Sandy Alcantra, Shane Bieber, Just Verlander, and Joe Musgrove.Lucas@LFloyddd@MLB @SpencerSTRIDer @Braves As much as I love Harris and Grissom, Strider just made history. Like how can you ignore the fact that this man is absolutely dominant every start and he's only a rookie?91@MLB @SpencerSTRIDer @Braves As much as I love Harris and Grissom, Strider just made history. Like how can you ignore the fact that this man is absolutely dominant every start and he's only a rookie?Will@WillMadeGoodMichael Harris II hit a homerun tonight and lost the ROY race. That’s how good Spencer Strider has been.1433Michael Harris II hit a homerun tonight and lost the ROY race. That’s how good Spencer Strider has been.Michael Harris II is sticking with Strider in the ROY race and continues to produce big numbers. The Braves outfielder is hitting .298/.344/.523 on the season with a .867 OPS. He has 14 home runs and 46 RBIs. His numbers are exemplary considering he has only 302 MLB at-bats under his belt.Sachiko🥰🌰⭕️@716sachiko@MLB @SpencerSTRIDer @Braves Yes not even close either he and Harris should be first and 2nd respectfully in voting6@MLB @SpencerSTRIDer @Braves Yes not even close either he and Harris should be first and 2nd respectfully in votingTrent@TrenciarteIt’s fun being a Braves fan and watching Michael Harris & Spencer Strider battle for the NL ROY26710It’s fun being a Braves fan and watching Michael Harris & Spencer Strider battle for the NL ROYMeargleSchmeargle@BravesareLords@MLB @SpencerSTRIDer @Braves I mean...he just beat a HOFer's K record in a single game...as a rookie. If you don't think he's the prohibitive favorite at this point you're just blind.2@MLB @SpencerSTRIDer @Braves I mean...he just beat a HOFer's K record in a single game...as a rookie. If you don't think he's the prohibitive favorite at this point you're just blind.Other candidates in the running for the NL ROY include St. Louis Cardinals' Brendan Donovan and Chicago Cubs' Christopher Morel.Sarah@jbraves1414@MLB @SpencerSTRIDer @Braves Don’t know but it’s gonna be a brave84@MLB @SpencerSTRIDer @Braves Don’t know but it’s gonna be a braveThe Atlanta Braves have heated up over the past two months. After a lukewarm start to the season, they are 24-13 since the All-Star break. They are only three games behind the New York Mets in the NL East. Spencer Strider has been a welcome addition to the Braves rotation. The team will hope that he can keep up this momentum come the playoffs as they look to defend their 2021 World Series title.