The Braves‘ pitching woes have been well documented, with many fans blaming Alex Anthopoulos for not bolstering the bullpen and rotation. It’s a fair criticism, but what isn’t fair is Atlanta fans that are blaming Anthopoulos for letting Max Fried walk.
The Braves rotation sure could use a southpaw with a 1.19 ERA across 37.2 innings in six starts. That’s what Max Fried has done for the Yankees so far. In the wake of Gerrit Cole‘s injury, New York needed Fried to be the ace that they gave a record-breaking contract to, and he’s delivered.
That’s prompted many in Braves Country to point the finger at Alex Anthopoulos, and I just don’t think it’s fair for a few reasons.
The Braves, right or wrong, were never going to give out the largest free agent contract in MLB history for a left-handed pitcher. That was never in the cards for this organization. In that same vein, these mega deals for starting pitchers rarely work out.
Secondly, the same concerns that surrounded Max Fried during his free agency still surround him. They didn’t just suddenly go away after six starts. He’s dealt with a litany of injury concerns throughout his career, and his regular season production hasn’t quite translated to the postseason.
It’s also convenient these same Braves fans that are bashing Alex Anthopoulos for letting Max Fried walk don’t even bring up Charlie Morton. The veteran signed a one-year, $15 million contract with the Orioles, which seemed like a more than palatable contract at the time. However, he’s already been demoted to the bullpen after posting an ERA near 10.00 through the first month of the season. Anthopoulos deserves credit for dodging that bullet.
It’s the perfect situation for a knee-jerk reaction. The Braves’ rotation needs some stability with Spencer Strider and Reynaldo Lopez on the injured list, and Max Fried is amid one of the best six game stretches of his career to begin the season. Perhaps he does turn out to be one of the few arms that lives up to an eight-year contract worth north of $200 million, but there’s still a long way to go before that happens.
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