Braves starter Max Fried deals with traffic on the bases in final tune-up

“You have to keep making pitches,” Fried said. “To not let things snowball out of control, you have to just stay in the moment and be able to just throw the next pitch where you want. And to be able to kind of get a little taste of what happens when you have to be able to do that, it just helps refocus you.

“I’d rather have it be right now than a week from today.”

That last sentence is the key. While Fried, and every other pitcher, would like to be perfect every time out, spring training is a time for preparation and experimentation.

In an 8-7 loss to the Twins at Hammond Stadium, Fried allowed five runs on seven hits over four innings. He threw 84 pitches, 63 for strikes. His next start will come on opening day at Truist Park versus the Reds.

“All in all, feel physically really good and ready to go,” Fried said.

“That was good,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker, who added the wind could’ve influenced the two homers Fried allowed. “He had to work. I thought the stuff looked really good.”

Fried pitched well this spring. He hurled three scoreless innings in his only other outing in a spring game. In a simulated game versus the team’s best hitters, the lefty allowed a run on three hits, with two walks and two strikeouts.

Fried felt he got some good work in during his final tune-up before the opener.

“It was nice to kind of get out there,” he said. “Got some guys on base. Things don’t go your way, (you have to) figure out how to get out of it.”

Snitker loves wacky spring rule

In spring training, managers are allowed to pull pitchers in the middle of an inning before re-inserting them in the next inning. This is done so pitchers don’t have to tire by throwing tons of pitches in one inning, but can instead get one more up-down.

Snitker has used the re-entry rule three days in a row, with Fried being the latest pitcher to go back out after being taken out an inning before.

“I like that re-entry rule, just for that, so he doesn’t have to go to the bullpen,” Snitker said.

Added Fried on his first time doing this: “It was a little strange. It’s weird because guys are coming in and they’re high-fiving you, and I’m like, ‘I’m not done yet.’”

Overall, Fried likes the rule. He believes it can keep pitchers healthy in the long run.

“At the end of the day, especially for starters, you’re trying to build up to be able to be ready to go, especially with the abbreviated spring and not being able to have five, six starts under your belt in a (spring training),” he said. “The ability to know that if you have a rough inning, you’re going to be able to still get your work in and be able to work toward that goal of being ready to go five, six innings, 90 to 100 pitches, when opening day comes.”

McHugh continues strong spring

Collin McHugh hasn’t wasted any time showing the Braves what they’re getting in him.

On Friday, the righty pitched 1-1/3 perfect innings. He struck out two Twins. In one inning, he snagged a liner right back at him for one out before fielding a grounder and throwing to first for another.

McHugh is perfect through 2-1/3 innings in the exhibition schedule.

“He can pitch,” Snitker said. “He knows what he’s doing. He’s got an idea, he can locate. He’s one of those guys that every pitch has a purpose.”

Dickerson homers (again)

Snitker was mulling whether to put left-handed hitting Alex Dickerson in Friday’s lineup. Then he saw the Twins would likely throw a slew of righties, so he wrote Dickerson’s name on the lineup card.

Good choice.

Dickerson homered for the second time in a spring game. He has also hit at least one home run in simulated games.

“Looks good,” Snitker said. “That was good for him, too.”

As a left-handed bat, Dickerson is getting tons of opportunities to make the team. He’s responded well. He entered Friday batting only .154 in the exhibition slate, but the team factors in much more than on-field results in spring games when making roster decisions.

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