The Braves have watched two faces of the franchise walk in the last two offseasons, Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson. Most expect Max Fried to follow suit when the 2024 season ends. The Braves don’t pay sticker price for anything, and the market for arguably the best left-handed pitcher on the planet will be immense. However, a glimmer of hope has emerged recently because of the way Blake Snell‘s free agency has transpired.
If we’re talking left-handed starting pitchers, Max Fried and Blake Snell have to be considered 1A and 1B. Snell is fresh off his second Cy Young award, but as we approach Opening Day, he still doesn’t have a home. Most believe his agent, the notorious Scott Boras, overplayed his hand, hoping to get him a deal north of $200+ million. Perhaps that still happens, but it’s becoming evident his market may not be what Boras originally expected.
It’s impossible to know until Snell signs his contract. But recent rumors suggest he could settle for a shorter contract with a higher AAV because of his lack of lucrative offers. Given he’s a pretty comparable pitcher to Max Fried, it’s something Fried and Braves fans should be paying close attention to.
I happen to think Fried is better than Snell, despite not having a Cy Young award, and I think most general managers would agree. Still, he has to be feeling slightly uneasy watching Snell’s free agency, especially with Fried coming off a year in which he suffered a significant elbow injury.
The Braves are going to make a fair offer to Max Fried. Will it be the highest offer if he hits free agency? Probably not, but the goal is to get this done before that ever happens. The Braves were willing to go six years in an attempt to land Aaron Nola, reportedly offering well over $150 million. I have to believe there’s a similar offer out there for Fried, and if he’s watching what’s happening right now with Snell, that’s a pretty damn good one considering there is no telling what might happen this year.
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