Braves pitching ace Max Fried, who is dealing with a left hamstring strain, is progressing.
“Doing really well. Feeling a lot better,” Fried said Saturday. “Just kind of doing everything that the training staff is having me do. We’re doing better every day. Whatever obstacles or next hurdle that I gotta get over, they’re gonna let me know, and I’m gonna get it done.”
Fried said he has no idea about timelines, such as when he might be able to come off the injured list. (Officially, he’s eligible to return April 16.)
Braves manager Brian Snitker has said that, with Fried’s hamstring injury, the club is more concerned with Fried’s ability to run and field his position than the actual pitching.
When could Fried begin running, fielding bunts and covering first base?
“I have no idea. It’s all up to the training staff,” Fried said. “Whatever they tell me do, I’m gonna try to knock it out.”
In 2021, Fried experienced a similar injury, then made it back and had a great season.
Thus far, the situations seem alike.
“I’m feeling great,” Fried said. “I was able to bounce back and have no problems before, and right now, I’m definitely on the same path. Feeling good. Hopefully we’ll make sure this is completely behind us, so I have no more issues going forward.”
Fried said he still has to check some boxes before he’s healthy enough to return. Like everything in baseball, he’s taking it a day at a time.
“Especially with injuries,” Fried said. “You never know. You always want to kind of make sure it’s right, but not push it too much where you’re going to have any setbacks, so just trying to take it as smart as possible, especially with where it is in the year.”
It’s early April. To reach their goals this season, the Braves need their ace. That’s why they’re being cautious and not rushing Fried back to the mound.
“He feels good about where he is,” Snitker said. “I don’t think there’s anything lingering. I think it’s just checking boxes and making sure that he’s ready to go and (that) this will be the last setback he has this year, is the biggest thing.”
Honoring Hank
On Saturday, the Braves debuted their new Nike City Connect jerseys while honoring Hank Aaron and the anniversary of his record-breaking 715th home run that he hit April 8, 1974.
The jersey is somewhat of a tribute to Aaron. “Keep Swinging #44″ is embroidered on the green fabric under the bill. “The A” is written on the front of the jersey.
While managing in the minors, Snitker got to know Aaron. The two used to talk.
Aaron would answer questions, but he didn’t brag.
“You had to pry it out of him,” Snitker said. “He didn’t sit there and talk about himself. He was one of them guys, he wanted to talk about what was going on in the organization and everything.”
Asked what lessons he took from Aaron, Snitker said this:
“Just his humility. All those guys, it’s just how they treated people, and the real people that they were. The Hall of Famers that we came across, they were all about the organization and you and things like that. They were never boastful or anything.”
Braves option Shuster, add Young
Before Saturday’s game, the Braves optioned Jared Shuster and selected Danny Young, an extra pitcher, to the roster.
Shuster has made two starts for the Braves. He might be up here again soon, depending on the Braves’ needs.
“You know he’ll continue to learn and stay regular (at Triple-A Gwinnett),” Snitker said. “He’s a guy that we’ll use again. And you never know. This is going to be great for him, what he’s experienced these two outings. There was a lot of good in both of them. The outcomes weren’t what everybody wanted, but there was a lot of good when you cut into it. And we saw something that we didn’t see all spring, which was all the walks. But now he’s got a little base to work from and, I think, experience. There’s plenty of stuff there, there’s plenty of weapons. It’s just about executing.”
On Friday, Shuster allowed four runs on six hits over four innings. The concerning part: Four walks.
Shuster made the team by attacking the zone and throwing strikes all spring.
He hasn’t done it much through two starts. He’s walked nine batters in 8-2/3 innings. He’s still young, though. He’ll go to Gwinnett and continue tp develop.
Young, a lefty, gives the Braves nine relievers.
“The bullpen’s been taxed already in the short season,” Snitker said. “They’ve done a great job; they’ve done a really good job. But we just kind of feel like the more depth we have there, we don’t have to beat anybody up if we don’t have to. Sometimes you can’t avoid it, situations change. That’s part of this grind and why we play on 162 games. It’s such a long year that you just have to survive the day.”
Last season, his debut in the majors, Young allowed three earned runs over 6-1/3 innings.
To clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Young, the Braves designated right-hander Seth Elledge for assignment.
Ozuna’s start
Marcell Ozuna on Friday blasted a home run in a three-run third inning.
He is 2-for-21 to begin the season.
Both hits are homers.
“You’d like to see the consistency more, driving the ball, using the whole field, the whole thing,” Snitker said after the game. “We did see improvement in spring training. I know it’s spring training, but it’s what we got to judge and everything. Hopefully he can, at some point in time, find himself.”
At the time, Ozuna joined Seattle’s AJ Pollock as the only players in the majors with multiple homers and no other hits.
