NORTH PORT, Fla. — Max Fried’s latest spring-training outing went three innings as the Braves southpaw prepares for the most important season of his career.
Fried faced a Pirates lineup of mostly reserves Friday, working through some jams with mixed results. He allowed four earned runs on five hits, striking out two and walking two in a 6-6 tie.
After allowing one base runner over the first two innings, Fried surrendered a homer to designated hitter Canaan Smith-Njigba in the third frame, an inning in which he allowed three hits. Fried escaped further harm by coaxing a double-play grounder from right fielder Conner Joe.
In his final inning, Fried allowed consecutive soft singles and walked a hitter to load the bases, ending his day. The three base runners scored against reliever Brooks Wilson.
“First two innings were pretty good, second two innings weren’t very good,” Fried said. “It’s just one of those days. Felt like my curveball – I kept trying to go back to it, really just try to find it and put an emphasis on it. Last game I only threw one, so I was trying to make that a pitch of emphasis and fell behind way too many guys 2-0.
“That’s part of where we’re at. Obviously still have a lot to clean up, sharpen up, but that’s why we’ve got another couple weeks.”
It was Fried’s second outing after pitching two frames in his first.
Fried, 30, was limited to 14 starts last season because of a forearm injury. He had a 2.55 ERA in those outings, his third campaign posting a sub-3.00 ERA in the past four (the other year, in 2021, he had a 3.04 and tossed six scoreless innings in the clinching Game 6 of the World Series). He’s aiming for a Cy Young-caliber 2024, both in the interest of the Braves winning and his impending free agency.
Despite Fried missing significant time a year ago, the Braves won 104 games. A healthy Fried only will make the club more competitive for the National League’s No. 1 seed. There are few pitchers who possess Fried’s total package, from his competitiveness to his preparation to his leadership to his talent.
Fried heads a rotation that has the potential to be baseball’s best. Spencer Strider is the betting favorite for the NL Cy Young, while offseason acquisition Chris Sale has thrilled in spring. The ageless Charlie Morton rounds out a sturdy top four. Reynaldo Lopez and Bryce Elder are competing for the initial No. 5 spot, though both will contribute during the season.
The Braves haven’t named their opening-day starter, but if healthy, Fried will start one of the first two games in Philadelphia, where the Braves begin the regular season March 28. Fried has started three consecutive opening days. He could join Julio Teheran (six), Greg Maddux (four) and Rick Mahler (four) as the only Atlanta-era Braves to have started four or more consecutive opening days.
“Physically, as far as my body and my stuff and how (the pitches) are coming out, it’s great,” Fried said of his current preparation. “It’s just more fine tuning at this point, sharpness, walking guys, getting ahead. The little nuances you need to be able to put yourself in a good chance to win baseball games.”
