Atlanta Braves fans are bracing themselves for what might be an unwelcome goodbye to their ace left-hander, Max Fried. But the real kicker? There’s a growing buzz that Fried could land not just anywhere but with the New York Mets—a division rival the Braves have clashed with regularly in recent seasons.
This possibility surfaced in Jim Bowden’s offseason predictions for The Athletic, where he listed the Mets as a prime candidate to sign Fried. Bowden even went so far as to suggest a six-year, $174 million deal for the All-Star lefty, pairing him with another ace, Corbin Burnes, in a rotation overhaul for the Mets.
This kind of move would sting for Braves fans. Losing Max Fried—a pitcher who’s been a cornerstone of the team’s recent success—would be tough enough, but seeing him in Mets blue could shift the competitive landscape in the NL East.
After finishing tied with Atlanta for the second-best record in the division last season, the Mets aim to make a statement in 2025. Adding Fried to their rotation, especially after the Braves fell short of the division title for the first time since 2017, would give New York a powerful edge in their bid to dethrone the Phillies, who took the 2024 NL East crown with a 95-67 record.
The Braves have long relied on Fried’s consistency and skill to anchor their rotation. With five straight seasons boasting a 3.25 ERA and 1.17 WHIP or lower, he’s become one of the most dependable arms in baseball. In 2024, he wrapped up the season with an 11-10 record, a 3.25 ERA, a 1.164 WHIP, and 166 strikeouts over 174.1 innings. This reliability is what teams like the Mets—and others rumored to be interested, such as the Dodgers, Orioles, and Red Sox—are banking on to elevate their rotations in the long term.
If Max Fried does head to Queens, the Braves will have to rely on their explosive offense to stay competitive and keep pace with a Mets team potentially poised for a resurgence. Despite a disappointing 2024, Braves fans have seen their team rise to the challenge before, and they’ll be hoping their front office has a plan to fill any potential gaps Fried’s departure might leave.
But for now, it’s all speculation. Atlanta supporters will be on high alert, hoping Fried’s free agency decision doesn’t come back to haunt them within the NL East. If it does, though, the Braves will face an even steeper climb in a division that keeps getting tougher.
