Braves Star and GM Both Discuss Possibility of Contract Extension at Spring Training
The Atlanta Braves have the pitching prospect capital to stomach losing a member or two of the rotation after this season.
Between top prospect duo Hurston Waldrep and AJ Smith-Shawver and the depth of backend starters in AAA, like Dylan Dodd, Allan Winans, and Darius Vines, the Braves can find the innings to cover for a departed pitcher or two.
But none of those prospects exactly project to replace Max Fried, who has been one of the most durable and accomplished pitchers in baseball prior to last season’s injury-marred campaign.
But with Fried set to reach free agency after this season, replacing him might be something Atlanta has to do. President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos discussed that very possibility when meeting with the media this morning in North Port, FL.
“It goes without saying that he is great,” Anthopoulos said. “Any time you have a great player in a free-agent year, it’s going to be a topic. Our goal will always be to keep these guys while also making sure that we’re keeping a competitive club around them. That’s the trick, trying to balance it out.”
Fried’s 62-26 with a 3.03 ERA in his 139 appearances for Atlanta since debuting in 2017. Prior to last season, he was one of three pitchers from 2019 to 2022 to have both an ERA of 3.06 or better and 570 or more innings:
1: Gerrit Cole, NYY – 3.03 ERA in 667.1 innings pitched
2: Shane Bieber, CLE – 2.91 ERA in 588.1 innings pitched
3. Max Fried, ATL – 3.06 ERA in 572.2 innings
Despite three separate stints on the injured list last season (hamstring, forearm strain, blisters), Fried was 8-1 with a 2.55 ERA in his 77.2 innings.
And extending Fried has been a major topic this offseason – Fried was asked directly about it at Braves Fest, and here’s what he said:
“It’s out of my control right now,” Fried said. “But the Braves do things a certain way and I know that privacy and doing things behind closed doors is the way things are done. I respect that. I know I love being here and I’m really excited to get started with this group.”
And that refusal to go into details – to leave the discussion behind closed doors – is something that Anthopoulos acknowledged and appreciated.
“I saw his answers from Braves Fest. I thought they were great. That wasn’t me sitting down with him and saying, ‘Hey, let’s agree that we’re going to say this.’ That was just Max being Max being honest, you know?”
It’s potentially a star-laden free agent class at starting pitcher next season, with Corbin Burnes, Zack Wheeler, Robbie Ray (player opt out), Walker Buehler, and Max Scherzer all reaching free agency. But Fried’s still one of the most attractive options, as a lefty that’s not velocity dependent and younger than most, only turning 31 after the start of next season.
