Most recent MLB update: Max Fried would not be happy with the Braves blockbuster story this evening, according to several reports. This is because…

The Braves could be fishing for Max Fried’s replacement.

The Atlanta Braves’ trade deadline goals are clear: upgrade the outfield bats and add a more reliable fifth starter. Just as Spencer Schwellenbach put in his claim for the fifth starting spot, the Braves were spooked with a Reynaldo Lopez injury. Max Fried is still on the IL, and Chris Sale’s late-season durability has been an ongoing mystery for years.

In short, Atlanta needs to stockpile depth on the mound. Atlanta has several appealing young pitchers to dangle in trade talks, ranging from top prospects AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep, to more fringe bets such as Darius Vines or Allan Winans.

The general expectation was that Atlanta would target a solid mid-to-back end rotation guy and leave it at that. Even with Spencer Strider out of commission, Atlanta has three All-Stars in the starting rotation this season between Sale, Fried, and Lopez. The Braves aren’t necessarily wanting for star power on the bump.

And yet, the latest report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post connects Atlanta to the most coveted starting pitcher on the market — Chicago White Sox All-Star and potential Cy Young candidate, Garrett Crochet.

That would come as a shock. Crochet won’t come cheap and his very public contract demands are the sort of thing that might scare off a less aggressive front office. Crochet won’t start in the playoffs without a contract extension, and he doesn’t want to move to the bullpen. With the Braves floundering in the Wild Card race, however, Alex Anthopoulos could get bold.

A Crochet trade wouldn’t just be oriented toward immediate improvement, though. It could also signal what happens with Max Fried down the line.

Braves trade for Garrett Crochet might seal Max Fried’s free agent fate

Max Fried is a free agent at season’s end. He has very publicly hinted at the lack of progress in contract talks over the years, to the point where a breakup feels almost inevitable. The Braves tend to lock up their stars early, avoiding the risk and financial burden of a free agent bidding war. Fried is going to field a vast array of suitors in a few months. He should get several long-term, big-money offer sheets before Atlanta can say the words ‘Garrett Crochet.’

As such, a Crochet trades makes sense. He’s 25 and under team control through the 2026 season. If the Braves don’t want to extend Crochet right now, he won’t play in the postseason. That’s fine, because the Braves ostensibly have three All-Star starters (and Charlie Morton) to choose between. Atlanta can realistically target Crochet as 2024 regular season insurance and Fried’s eventual 2025 replacement.