For Braves Country, last night was emotional for a couple of different reasons. Obviously, anytime the season ends, there’s some level of sorrow that exists, but I imagine that was felt even more due to the circumstances surrounding Max Fried.
The 30-year-old lefty toed the rubber for potentially the last time as a member of the Atlanta Braves. He is now a free agent, and the feeling has always been that he’s unlikely to return. We’ve seen this song and dance not once but twice before with Freddie Freeman and then Dansby Swanson. The Braves don’t pay sticker price for anything, even the faces of their franchise, and when guys get to free agency, it’s usually not because they are looking to take a discount.
Of course, there is a chance the tune of the organization changes when it comes to homegrown stars, especially with the way the last three postseasons have ended. However, it feels unlikely the Braves are willing to invest $200+ million into a starting pitcher when their rotation already consists of Spencer Strider, Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Reynaldo Lopez. That’s already as good of a 1-4 as any in baseball. Max Fried is more of a luxury at this point than a need, even if the saying is true, teams can never have enough good pitching.
After the game, a clearly emotional Max Fried talked to reporters, focusing mostly on how much he’s enjoyed his time with the organization, and how he doesn’t know what the future holds.
I’ve never seen Braves pitcher Max Fried this emotional.. just sat at his locker.. taking it all in before and after visiting with the media.
I asked what it means to wear the Braves uniform….“To me….It means everything” pic.twitter.com/m9zJXyHykI
— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) October 3, 2024
If this was indeed Max Fried’s last start as a member of the Braves, it’s certainly not what he’s going to be remembered by. In a franchise known for a rich history of starting pitchers, Fried is among the best. Only three Braves — Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz — have started more playoff games than Max Fried. And of course, Fried delivered one of the greatest pitching performances in franchise history, shutting the Astros out in Game 6 of the 2021 World Series on the road, sealing the city of Atlanta’s first championship since 1995.
When these kinds of negotiations take place, emotions must go out the window, for both the player and the organization. That’s how one side ends up getting the raw end of the deal. In the past, Anthopoulos has proved emotionless when at the negotiating table, and outside of a few circumstances, it has worked out heavily in the club’s favor. I don’t expect that to change this offseason, so more likely than not, Max Fried has thrown his last pitch as a member of the Atlanta Braves.
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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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