Lefty Max Fried rejoined the Braves roster Monday after missing roughly a month because of a left-groin strain.
Fried exited his Aug. 7 start in Washington after injuring himself trying to dodge a liner. He made three rehab appearances at Triple-A Gwinnett, allowing 10 earned runs and striking out 14 over 11-1/3 innings.
The Braves plugged Fried into their bullpen, manager Brian Snitker confirmed Monday. Touki Toussaint has assumed the sixth spot in the rotation, a position Fried relinquished upon his injury.
Toussaint isn’t locked into that spot, and with two off-days remaining, the Braves can tweak their rotation accordingly. They’ll continue with a six-man rotation, providing extra rest for their arms in the final three weeks.
As the situations stands now, Fried appears unlikely to make a start. The Braves love what they’ve seen from Toussaint, and they believe he gives them the best chance to win at a time where every game matters exponentially.
If they were to clinch the National League East with time to spare, Fried, along with Bryse Wilson, could possibly make another start as the team rests its rotation.
The Braves’ active roster currently sits at 34.
