The expectation was Max Fried would start his final rehab appearance for Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday, but he is reportedly under the weather and will have his start pushed back.
Max Fried is under the weather. He won’t start for Triple-A Gwinnett. Braves are going to decide on a new start date for him.
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) July 26, 2023
Eventually, the club’s ace will return and hopefully stabilize the rotation, but the front office should prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I fully believe that if he’s healthy, Fried won’t miss a step. However, that’s beginning to become less of a guarantee. If he encounters any more setbacks, the Braves will be in a difficult spot.
Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton, Bryce Elder, and a gaggle of other starters have held the fort down, but Elder has struggled since his last start before the All-Star break, and Morton isn’t a #2 anymore.
Not only do the Braves need Max Fried back, but they also might need another arm at the back of the rotation as the club hits the stretch run. Braves Country knows all too well how important starting pitching is come October.
Again, this setback doesn’t seem too serious. After all, his forearm is what kept him out for over two months. However, I can’t help but think back to the end of the season last year. He caught some kind of flu and lost over 15 pounds ahead of his Game 1 NLDS start against the Phillies. Hopefully, that isn’t the case this time around, and Fried can still return to Braves sometime late next week.
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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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