AL East Chatter Heating Up Around Braves' Max Fried

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried could still return or sign with an NL foe, but the latest round of predictions have him leaving for the AL East.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried / Mady Mertens-Imagn Images

Left-handed starter Max Fried appears to be one of the most coveted pitchers on the free agent market this winter. That's not good news for the Atlanta Braves, who would obviously prefer Fried return.

However, in the latest round of MLB predictions Wednesday, pundits at least had Fried leaving the National League entirely.

The Athletic's Jim Bowden called the Baltimore Orioles the "favorite match" for Fried on November 19. Then the following day, Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller predicted Fried to sign a 6-year, $165 million contract with the Boston Red Sox.

For Braves fans following the latest rumblings around the team on a day-to-day basis, those two teams as potential landing spots for Fried is nothing new. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported on Nov. 16 that the Red Sox were talking to the southpaw.

On Nov. 6, MLB insider Jon Heyman reported the Red Sox, Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays were "all in" on Fried.

Pundits have also connected Fried to the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs this offseason. If the Braves can't re-sign Fried, they pretty obviously would rather him land in the AL East than with any of those other three teams, particularly the Mets and Dodgers.

The AJC's Justin Toscano reported on Nov. 19 that Fried rejected his qualifying offer from the Braves. The deal would have signed him to a 1-year, $21.05 million deal.

That decision, which was highly expected, will make Fried a free agent.

In free agency, Fried should receive contract offers exceeding his qualifying offer by at least $100 million in total value.

Fried made his second All-Star team this past season. He went 11-10 with a 3.25 ERA, 1.164 WHIP and 166 strikeouts in 174.1 innings. Fried has registered a 3.07 ERA, 1.164 WHIP and 863 strikeouts in 168 regular season appearances during his eight-year MLB career.