Braves Reunion with Yankees Max Fried a No-Go, Remains Out with Injury

A reunion between Max Fried and the Atlanta Braves will have to wait. The Yankees released their starters for the upcoming series in Atlanta and Fried was nowhere to be found. 

According to the probable pitchers page on the Braves website, Ian Hamilton will start Friday, Will Warren will start Saturday and Marcus Stroman will start Sunday. 

It was already looking bleak that Fried wouldn’t pitch against his former team, but this is a confirmation. 

Fried exited his final start before the All-Star break last Saturday due to a blister on his left index finger. He didn’t make an appearance during the All-Star Game in Atlanta on Tuesday, a game he was a candidate to start in front of his former home crowd. 

It’s unknown when Fried will make his next start, but a blister shouldn’t keep him out too much longer. 

The former Braves lefty has had a career season in year one in the Bronx. In 20 starts, he’s 8-3 with a 2.43 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 113 strikeouts in 122 innings pitched. He has had an ERA as low as 1.78 this season and was the first pitcher this season to reach 10 wins.

He’s still currently a top contender for the American League Cy Young Award along with reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, Astros’ Hunter Brown, Red Sox’s Garret Crochet and Rangers’ Jacob DeGrom. 

Fried signed with the Yankees (eight years, $218 million) over the offseason after eight seasons with the Braves, the team that drafted him. In a Braves uniform, he made two All-Star Games, won two Gold Gloves and was part of the 2021 World Series-winning team. He notably pitched the decisive Game 6.

The Braves take on the Yankees starting Friday. Spencer Strider will be the one to go up against Hamilton, with a first pitch set for 7:15 p.m. 

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