Unlike Freddie Freeman‘s free agency saga, Max Fried‘s departure from Atlanta was rather anticlimactic. For over a year, analysts had predicted the Braves’ ace would leave for greener pastures, confidently stating he had priced himself out of the team’s budget with his stellar performance.
It turns out those pundits were more accurate than even they may have realized. Just two days ago, Max Fried signed the largest contract ever for a left-handed starting pitcher—an eight-year, $218 million deal. It was a figure the Braves were never going to approach, which might dull the sting slightly, but there’s no denying the void Fried’s absence will leave when Atlanta takes the field on Opening Day next year.
For me, Fried’s departure is personal. I started this website 10 years ago as a college student at LSU. One of my first pieces covered a blockbuster trade that sent Justin Upton to the San Diego Padres. That trade signaled the Braves’ full commitment to a rebuild. In return, Atlanta acquired infielder Jace Peterson, the toolsy Mallex Smith, and a young left-hander from Harvard-Westlake (California) named Max Fried, who had just undergone Tommy John surgery.
Over the next few years, the Braves systematically traded away nearly every noteworthy player to restock their farm system with young talent. Four years later, the rebuild bore fruit as Atlanta reclaimed the NL East crown. At the center of it all was Fried, who contributed a 2.94 ERA over 14 appearances (five starts) during that 2018 campaign.
By 2020, Max Fried had firmly established himself as the Braves ace, a title he would hold for the next half-decade. Despite occasional injuries, he made at least 28 starts in three of the last four seasons and has been MLB’s most effective pitcher at preventing runs since 2020, posting a remarkable 2.81 ERA during that span.
However, what Braves fans will remember most about Max Fried is his heroics in Game 6 of the 2021 World Series. Atlanta had blown a four-run lead in Game 5, allowing the Astros to shift momentum as the series returned to Houston. They were a dog that wouldn’t die.
Then this happened:
Max Fried’s ankle is a World Series Champion forever! pic.twitter.com/QTzMAwgFzD
— Mark McClellan (@markmcclellan) November 3, 2021
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and that picture needs no explanation.
Max Fried was somehow not only able to recover and continue pitching, but also regroup, prevent any runs from scoring that inning, and go on to pitch six scoreless innings against one of the better offenses of the last decade, leading the Braves to their first World Series title since 2021.
It was euphoria in Atlanta, and the fresh-faced 21-year-old that came over in the trade for Justin Upton was right in the middle of it.
That’s another aspect that makes Max Fried so special is he’s really the only pitching prospect that made it. Over the past decade, the Braves have cycled through countless highly touted arms acquired during their rebuild. Many showed flashes of brilliance, but few could sustain success, often succumbing to injuries or inconsistencies—a testament to the volatility of developing pitchers. Yet Fried rose above it all, establishing himself as a cornerstone of the Braves’ success.
What I’ll remember most about Max Fried, though, is his competitive fire. It was evident in every moment he donned the Braves uniform. Whether it was his stone-cold demeanor in the dugout following Jorge Soler’s towering home run in Game 6 of the World Series, his aggressive approach on the mound, or his relentless commitment to self-improvement—like adding a new pitch seemingly every offseason—Fried’s focus was unwavering. He cared about one thing above all else: winning.
It’s what made Max Fried so beloved in Braves Country, and while Yankees fans might currently be debating the contract they gave him, they’ll soon see what we all witnessed over his eight-year career in Atlanta.
Congratulations to Max Fried on an incredible career with the Braves and a well-deserved $218 million contract.
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Photo: John Adams/Icon Sportswire
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