Some of Alex Anthopoulos’ best work at past trade deadlines has been filling needs for the present and the future, and he may do something similar for the Braves rotation this year.
Raisel Iglesias, Pierce Johnson, and Joe Jimenez were acquired at the trade deadline. Iglesias had years left on his deal with the Angels, while Johnson and Jimenez re-signed with the club this offseason.
The rotation might see a similar approach. Atlanta’s starters have been arguably the best in baseball, so it’s not an obvious need. Max Fried, Chris Sale, and Reynaldo Lopez are All-Stars and can go toe-to-toe with any 1-2-3 in baseball.
On the back end of the rotation, Charlie Morton and Spencer Schwellenbach along with A.J. Smith-Shawver, Bryce Elder, and Ian Anderson should be plenty down the stretch. However, as the Braves know as well as any, injuries can quickly pile up and leave Atlanta’s rotation shorthanded headed into October.
That’s one reason to potentially add to it, but Anthopoulos may kill two birds with one stone because the rotation has more questions than answers in 2025. Charlie Morton’s retirement is looming, and Spencer Strider is coming off a serious injury, but more than anything, Max Fried’s free agency is the biggest threat to the Braves starting rotation.
Atlanta’s ace is in the final year of his contract, and his departure will hurt the unit more than any other. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2019, he owns a 3.01 ERA across 131 starts for the Braves with a 67-26 record. The Braves Southpaw has been arguably the best lefty on the planet for several years now.
With that kind of track record, Max Fried is in line for a lucrative free agent deal, sparking much pessimism among Braves fans about the club’s chances of retaining him. Like Dansby Swanson and Freddie Freeman before him, Fried isn’t shy about how he feels about the franchise and staying in Atlanta for the rest of his career.
“I 100% love the organization. Obviously, there’s a lot of stuff that — in the middle of the season, we’re focused on a lot of other things. But I truly do, I have loved my time in Atlanta. I love it. Definitely would love to be here.” Fried told Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
That’s the same sentiment that Swanson and Freeman shared before their respective free agencies. I am sure that all three are genuine when saying they would enjoy playing for the Braves for their entire careers… as long as the money is right.
As Max Fried continues to shine on the mound for the Braves this season, his price tag continues to rise. Anthopoulous will make a competitive bid; there’s no doubt about that. Unfortunately, desperate clubs will do desperate things, and the starting pitching market is out of control.
There’s no telling what Fried’s number will be by season’s end if he stays healthy. The Braves, the fans, and Max Fried all want the same thing, but there’s a long, narrow road to getting there.
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David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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