Max Fried jumped from Double-A Mississippi to the Braves in August last season. It didn’t take quite as long this time.
Fried, who began the season in Double-A, was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday to join the Braves bullpen. He’ll serve in a long-relief role.
“Come get ready to come out of the ‘pen, eat innings if we need it,” Fried said he was told Monday night. “Just get ready for when my name’s called.”
The Braves told Fried he would join the team after Gwinnett’s doubleheader. He woke up at 5:45 Tuesday morning and caught a flight from Rochester to Chicago to Cincinnati.
The 24-year-old pitched in nine major-league games a season ago. He posted a 3.81 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 26 innings.
Fried made four starts, including an early-September outing at Wrigley Field when he limited the Cubs to one run on four hits through five innings, earning his first win in the process.
“Just experiencing what the major leagues is about,” Fried said when asked about last season. “Facing guys and seeing how you stack up. I felt like I was able to compete. I feel the same way now. I’m just ready to help this team win. Looking from the minor leagues, everyone’s been playing extremely well, really good baseball. I’m just trying to do my job to help this team out.”
He began the season at Double-A Mississippi, a possibility he was made aware of in spring training. He viewed it as a challenge, but made only one start before he was promoted to Gwinnett because of starter Aaron Blair’s shoulder injury.
“Another opportunity to get some redemption for the way things ended there last year,” he said. “I didn’t have the year I wanted and felt like starting out there, I wanted to start off on the right foot. I just felt like I could really compete at that level. But just one start there and I went to Gwinnett, just trying to keep the same mentality of keeping on.”
The Braves’ bullpen has played musical chairs for much of the season, swapping fresh arms in and out. Shane Carle has excelled when called upon as a long-reliever, but Fried gives manager Brian Snitker another inning-eater option.
“He’s not a stranger to this,” Snitker said. “He’ll provide a good piece if need be in this little role he’s in now.”
That role recently was held by Lucas Sims, who was sent back to Triple-A after one appearance in which he allowed three runs in one-third of an inning against the Mets on April 19.
Fried was scheduled to pitch Tuesday, and after throwing 86 and 87 pitches in his past two starts, he’s fully stretched out. Snitker said he’ll get the call if something happens early with a starter.
“I feel confident,” Fried said. “Been feeling good and felt like myself getting back in my routine and everything. I’m ready to go. Whatever we need, I’m totally good with.”
The Braves don’t anticipate using Fried as a starter during this stint, barring emergency, but he’ll make more starts down the line.
“He’ll get some more at some point,” Snitker said. “It doesn’t necessarily need to be here. He’s here now just to pitch in the back end and give us some length.”
About the Author
