Braves' Max Fried Predicted to Sign With NL East Rival

The Athletic's Jim Bowden projected left-hander Max Fried to leave the Atlanta Braves but stay in the NL East this offseason.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Atlanta Braves fans have likely begun to accept that left-hander Max Fried may have pitched his last game with the team. But it's highly unlikely that fans have accepted the idea of Fried joining a division rival.

The Athletic's Jim Bowden presented that possibility in his 2024-25 MLB offseason predictions article on Nov. 1. For his second prediction on his list, Bowden projected Fried to sign with the New York Mets this offseason.

"The Mets focus on starting pitching in free agency and manage to sign both Corbin Burnes and Max Fried to long-term contracts while also bringing back first baseman Pete Alonso, dropping more than half a billion in future salary commitments to land the trio," wrote Bowden.

On his top 45 MLB free agents list released last week, Bowden predicted Fried would sign a 6-year, $174 million contract. Bowden named the Mets, Braves, Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox as the "best team fits" for the left-hander.

It would obviously be devastating for the Braves if Fried signed with the Mets. The Atlanta archrival finished tied with the Braves for the second-best record in the NL East this past season. The Braves should have a much better offense in 2025. But losing one of their best starters and see him land with the Mets could help shift the power in the NL East.

The Braves didn't win the division during 2024 for the first time since 2017. Instead, it was the Philadelphia Phillies, at 95-67, winning the division.

Atlanta won the NL East with 100-plus wins during 2022 and 2023. The Mets also won 100-plus games in 2022.

Fried went 11-10 with a 3.25 ERA, 1.164 WHIP and 166 strikeouts in 174.1 innings this past season. Since 2020, Fried has posted five consecutive campaigns with a 3.25 ERA and 1.17 WHIP or lower.

During that five-year stretch, he won 54 games and made two All-Star teams.

In his entire eight-year career, Fried is 73-36 with a 3.07 ERA. He's thrown at least 165 innings in four of the past six seasons. One of the years where he didn't was the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.

Of the teams Bowden mentioned as the "best fits" for Fried, the best destination for Braves fans is probably Baltimore. The Orioles and Braves fan bases do not have any ill will. Boston would also be an alright landing spot for Fried because the Red Sox are in the American League.

But pundits have connected Fried to not only the Mets but also the Los Angeles Dodgers this offseason.