Atlanta Braves Can’t Afford to Lose Max Fried Next Year

The Atlanta Braves are in the thick of a heated NL Wild Card race in 2024, and Friday night’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays brought out the best in one of their star pitchers. Max Fried, the Braves’ reliable left-handed ace, delivered another stunning performance, pitching seven innings of shutout baseball, allowing just five hits while striking out eight.

With every game critical, Fried’s brilliance couldn’t have come at a better time. But as Fried helps keep Atlanta’s postseason hopes alive, there’s a looming question hanging over the franchise—could this be his last month wearing a Braves uniform?

Max Fried is set to hit free agency at the end of this season, and for Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos, the decision to let him walk or bring him back will be one of the most crucial of his tenure. The situation feels all too familiar for Braves fans, recalling the departure of another franchise cornerstone: Freddie Freeman.

Freeman, who helped lead the Braves to a World Series championship in 2021, was a beloved figure in Atlanta. His impending free agency at the time mirrored Fried’s current situation—a homegrown talent, hitting the market at 31, after years of elite production. The Braves ultimately parted ways with Freeman, opting instead to trade for Matt Olson to fill the void at first base.

While Olson has been a strong addition, the shadow of Freeman’s departure still lingers. The former MVP now plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers, continuing to perform at an elite level even at age 34, leaving many in Braves Country wondering what might have been if the team had handled Freeman’s free agency differently.

Fried’s situation carries many of the same emotional and practical stakes. Like Freeman, he’s not only a crucial part of the team’s success but a player with deep ties to the organization and the city of Atlanta.

His Game 6 performance in the 2021 World Series, where he dominated the Houston Astros to seal the championship, remains a defining moment in franchise history. Since then, Fried has continued to prove his worth, despite battling injuries earlier this season. In his last four starts, he’s posted a 2.07 ERA, showing he’s still got the ace-level stuff the Braves need.

The question, of course, is whether the Braves are willing to meet the price it will take to keep Max Fried. Spotrac estimates his market value at six years and around $130 million, a hefty sum for a pitcher who has dealt with injuries. But there’s no denying Fried’s track record when healthy. A two-time All-Star, he’s been one of the cornerstones of Atlanta’s rotation for the past seven seasons.

The decision is not just about dollars and cents; it’s about what Fried represents to this franchise. Letting him walk could mean losing a key piece of the team’s identity, much like the Freeman departure did. But as Anthopoulos knows, Major League Baseball is a business, and tough choices have to be made.

With 21 games left in the regular season, Max Fried has one last stretch to prove his value and potentially lead the Braves to another playoff berth. If he delivers in September and carries that form into the postseason, the front office will have a hard time justifying why Fried shouldn’t remain in a Braves uniform for the foreseeable future.

For now, all eyes are on Fried’s next start, knowing full well that his performance could shape not just the Braves’ playoff chances, but the future of the franchise itself.