Braves' Max Fried Predicted to be Next Big Name Signed in MLB Free Agency

ESPN's Alden Gonzalez reported Monday that two of baseball's biggest rivals are competing to sign Atlanta Braves left-hander Max Fried.

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

Some Atlanta Braves fans have probably given up on the idea of the team bringing back left-hander Max Fried. For those who haven't, with each passing day, it looks like a shrinking possibility that he will return.

If ESPN's Alden Gonzalez is correct, Braves Country will find out soon.

When asked Monday who will be the biggest named to sign or get traded during the MLB winter meetings now that Juan Soto agreed to a deal, Gonzalez answered Fried.

Gonzalez added that both the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are competing for the left-hander's services.

"The Yankees and Red Sox have been heavy on him for weeks now, and their pursuits aren't necessarily tied to signing Soto," Gonzalez wrote. "Now that the Dodgers, fresh off guaranteeing $182 million to Blake Snell, aren't necessarily a factor, the path is cleared for one of those two teams to close things up with Fried."

As Gonzalez noted, pundits have linked Fried to the Yankees and Red Sox over the past several weeks. On Sunday, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported Fried will sign with either the Red Sox or Yankees.

This offseason, other teams such as the Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets have been mentioned as possible landing spots for Fried as well.

So, it seems highly unlikely he will be back with the Braves in 2025.

Fried's likely departure will leave a significant hole in Atlanta's starting rotation. Last season, Fried made his second All-Star team with an 11-10 record, 3.25 ERA, 1.164 WHIP and 166 strikeouts in 174.1 innings. He threw 2 complete games and had 1 shutout which led the National League.

Pundits have linked the Braves to second-tier starting pitchers as potential replacements. But it's also very possible that the Braves count on more innings from Grant Holmes and some of the other internal pitching options they have already in their organization.

In eight seasons with the Braves, Fried posted a 73-36 record with a 3.07 ERA. He started Game 6 of the 2021 World Series, which was the title clinging game for the Braves.