PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — At this point in the spring, there are boxes that Max Fried needs to check to feel like he is ready for the regular season.
“Just being able to use all my pitches, throwing them for strikes, throwing off-speed behind in the count,” he said Monday. “Just little things that you need to do to be able to navigate a lineup. For me, just being able to go out there, get a little uncomfortable, make some tough pitches in some tough spots, and facing obviously some really good hitters on their team to kind of see where your stuff is playing.”
Monday’s outing in Port Charlotte versus the Rays, Fried said, went as he had hoped. He felt sharp using all of his pitches. He attacked hitters. In his sixth and final inning, which included the Rays hitting him a bit and an error by his defense, he got to experience a tough situation and get his pitch count around the desired 90 pitches.
Over those six innings, Fried allowed four runs – only two were earned – on six hits. He struck out four batters and walked one.
With the weather around 83 degrees – complete with the Florida humidity – Fried tested his endurance. It went well. He said he experienced a normal fatigue level.
“It was right where I wanted to be, right where I needed to be, and I’m happy with it,” he said.
Arcia’s tests come back clean
On Sunday, Orlando Arcia’s X-rays were negative after he was hit in the hand by a pitch.
On Monday, his MRI returned negative.
He doesn’t have a fracture. And on top of that, he felt much better Monday.
This is relieving news for the Braves.
“It was great,” manager Brian Snitker said. “I still am always hesitant about hand injuries. I broke mine before, and 10 days in, you found out. But he feels good, he says he wants to play Wednesday, so we’ll see. We’ll see how he feels.”
The Braves are off Tuesday. They return to action Wednesday and will play their remaining seven games on their Grapefruit League schedule.
Lee built up to throw multiple innings
Dylan Lee on Sunday pitched two innings. This was by design.
He’s being built up to pitch multiple innings for the Braves.
“Because we look at him (as a guy that can) clean up an inning and go back out,” Snitker said. “With that slider, he’s not a pure matchup guy. And he’s got the change-up.”
He allowed two runs – on a two-run homer – in those two innings. He also struck out five batters. There’s a story to the homer, too.
“And I think even the home run, they were talking about doing a back-pick at first, and he was more aware of that than (pitching), and it just wasn’t a good pitch and he got whacked,” Snitker said. “But no, (pitching coach Rick Kranitz) said he was good again, the slider was good. He felt good about it. ... He’s been coming and kind of getting back to his old self, too, which is very encouraging.”
