Braves left-hander Max Fried will make his latest rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Gwinnett in Jacksonville. Fried has had his fourth rehab outing delayed because of a stomach virus.
“It hit him pretty hard,” manager Brian Snitker said of Fried’s illness. The All-Star southpaw initially was supposed to start Wednesday as he continues to work his way back from a forearm strain. He had pitched 7-2/3 innings over his first three rehab appearances.
Fried’s last MLB start came May 5 for the Braves, who’ve earned MLB’s best record despite missing their ace for months. Fried had a 2.08 ERA over five starts before the injury.
Starter Kyle Wright, meanwhile, has been throwing bullpen sessions as he aims for a late-season return. Wright likewise has been sidelined since early May because of a shoulder strain. He had a 5.79 ERA in five outings before he was shut down. It has been a frustrating year for Wright, who was delayed even at the start of spring training after getting a cortisone shot in January.
Notes:
-Gwinnett manager Matt Tuiasosopo served as the Braves’ third-base coach Friday as a replacement for Ron Washington, who is being inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame this weekend. Washington is a New Orleans native. The beloved Braves coach is being honored alongside former Braves pitcher and analyst Paul Byrd, an LSU product.
-The trade deadline is Tuesday. The Braves (64-36) already have made two moves, bolstering their pitching depth with Pierce Johnson and Taylor Hearn. President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos is among the more aggressive executives, so most suspect the Braves aren’t done. Further pitching reinforcements would make sense. While the Braves’ collective 3.81 ERA ranks No. 4 in the majors, the team has posted a 5.25 ERA since the All-Star break.
“You just never know what’s going to happen as we get down closer (to the deadline),” Snitker said. “We sat in here with Austin (Riley’s) extension (press conference) last year with about five minutes left (before the deadline), and we pulled Jesse (Chavez) out (because he’d been traded to the Angels). So I know this thing literally goes down to the wire.
“So I just sit and wait until I get a phone call. I was at breakfast the other day, and in the span of 15 minutes we had two more players. It can happen that quick. Honestly, I don’t see (Anthopoulos) a whole lot. He’s so busy, locked up on the phones and working to that end, that I don’t see a lot of him until he calls.”
-The Dodgers (58-43), who are 6-1/2 games behind the Braves for the National League’s best record, have made several moves to help their roster. Los Angeles acquired starter Lance Lynn – who despite his lackluster numbers was one of the better starters available this month – and reliever Joe Kelly from the retooling White Sox on Friday. The Dodgers already had acquired utilityman Kiké Hernandez and infielder Amed Rosario as low-cost additions.
The Brewers, whom the Braves host this weekend, own the NL’s third-best record at 57-46. They’re followed by the Giants (56-47), Phillies (55-47), Reds (56-48), Diamondbacks (55-48) and Marlins (55-48) as NL clubs with winning records.
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