On Saturday, Braves pitcher Max Fried was close to solidifying himself in team history after throwing seven innings without allowing a single hit. But closer Rasiel Iglesias gave up a home run to New York Mets’ JD Martinez in the bottom of the ninth to end the combined bid. Now, Fried could just be history for the Braves.
At the beginning of the 2024 season, things weren’t exactly going Fried’s way. For one, he was no longer considered the ace of the team. That title was reserved for Opening Day starter Spencer Strider. After two short starts, Strider went down with an elbow injury, ending his season and putting Fried right back in the ace position. However, Fried’s first two starts were nothing to brag about.
In his first start against the rival Philadelphia Phillies, Fried couldn’t even get out of the first inning. In seven batters faced, he gave up two hits, three runs, and three walks, only recording two outs. He left that day with a 40.50 ERA. Yeah, you read that right.
The second start was better but not by much, facing last year’s National League Champions, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Fried lasted four and one-third innings but gave up 10 hits, eight runs (seven earned), with one walk and a homer.
All it took was a game against the NL East’s lowly Miami Marlins to get right.
Max Fried is reminding everyone he will be a top free agent pitcher in 2025
In his next two starts, Max Fried faced the Marlins and gave up a combined seven hits and one run, striking out 10, with one of those games being a complete game shutout. And for the most part, that has been the Fried that Braves fans have known and loved over the last several years.
There was a hiccup in Los Angeles facing the Dodgers at home that the Braves lost, though. But can you really blame him facing that daunting lineup? Fried still made it through seven innings while giving up four hits, four runs, three walks, and two home runs while striking out seven. Fried’s start was the best the Braves could muster in the series in which the Dodgers swept them after they were outscored 16-3 in the final two games. But the Braves lefty is taking a lot from that game in Los Angeles.
“Just command and the way I was throwing the ball, I was getting a ton of ground balls, a lot of weak contact, and just left a couple pitches over the plate that went over the fence,” Fried told The Athletic’s Tyler Kepner on Saturday about his previous start against Los Angeles. “Whereas today, for me personally, there were a lot of hard-hit line drives — 95, 100, 105 (mph) — and when the ball is in the air, it’s normally not when I have my best outings.”
Overall, in his last six starts, Fried has put up a pretty impressive body of work where he has completely disassociated himself from his work at the beginning of the season. Starting 0-2, he’s now gone 3-1, giving up a combined eight earned runs, with a 1.79 ERA in that span, allowing hitters to slash .134/.222/.209.
“Max is his normal self,” Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud said. “It’s cool to see him bounce back after his first two starts of the year. Obviously, he didn’t want the season to start that way, and he’s been showing it his last few starts. It’s been fun playing behind him because he attacks guys and gets quick (outs) as well.”
Max Fried is making it difficult to remain with the Braves
Fried’s no-hit performance against the Mets on Saturday at Citi Field was an exclamation mark on his recent revival. In his contract season, many wondered if Fried was starting to pitch his way out of a major new deal that was set to come at the end of this season instead of into one. Now, after watching his last six performances, Braves fans are likely trying to embrace their last moments with their favorite lefty starter before he heads off to a new team next season.
The 30-year-old is currently working on a one-year, $15 million deal. But he’ll be getting a much longer and lucrative deal than that this winter. Knowing the Braves and their recent history with contract extensions, or lack thereof, Fried likely has a little over a handful of starts remaining in a Braves uniform.
Back in March, The Athletic’s Tim Britton broke it down as to what Fried likely will be asking for once he hits the open market. Should he avoid any major hiccups with injuries that plagued him in 2023, Fried could be looking at seven years, $195 million, or at least something within that range.
Under general manager Alex Anthopoulos, the Braves haven’t been handing out long-term extensions to players who would still be under contract in their late 30s. Charlie Morton has been somewhat the exception, though, with a lengthy resume and multiple shorter-term deals.
Fried’s performances have been a warm welcome to the Braves after Strider’s unfortunate injury. Now, they just have to make the most out of the time they have with him in their uniform.
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