MLB Insider Predicts Atlanta Braves' Max Fried Will Walk in Free Agency

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried is set to be a free agent this winter. An MLB insider does not see him staying in Atlanta.

Atlanta Braves fans would love to see Max Fried back in a Braves uniform next season, but this could be it. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried will be a free agent for the first time come November. The Braves still have a chance to re-sign him, but it’s looking like they will have competition. 

One MLB insider is thinking that Fried will find himself in a new uniform next season. MLB.com's Mark Feinsand included him in his top 10 free agents for 2025. 

Fried is ranked fifth among all free agents and third among pitchers. 

Each player is given a list of potential fits. For the 31-year-old lefty, Feinsand listed the Chicago Cubs, the San Diego Padres and the Texas Rangers.

Notice something wrong here? His current team isn’t on that list. 

To get an idea of how big this choice to omit the Braves is, the four guys ranked ahead of him all have their current teams listed. 

While it’s not directly stated, Feinsand made it pretty clear that he thinks Fried will walk this winter. With playoff hopes shrinking, Fried might have as few as two starts left before the season concludes. 

What Could His Contract Look Like?

Currently, Fried is on a one-year contract worth $15 million. It bought out his final year of arbitration.

Spotrac projects Fried to get a solid pay bump and a long-term contract: a six-year deal for about $128.5 million (About $21.4 million a year). It’s comparable with what the Toronto Blue Jays paid Kevin Gausman and what the Philadelphia Phillies paid Aaron Nola at a similar age. 

One of those guys signed as a free agent. The other chose to be a lifer for the team that drafted him. We’ll find out which one Fried could be soon enough.

Can the Braves Afford to Keep Fried?

The short answer is yes. The long answer is more complex. 

The value of the contract isn’t the issue. The Braves can afford it. However, somebody else needs to go if they want to stay under the pesky pseudo salary cap known as the luxury tax. 

One option is the 40-year-old Charlie Morton, who is making $20 million this season. Like Fried, Morton is a free agent this winter. So, all the Braves have to do is choose one over the other. They would only have to pay slightly more for an arm is almost a decade Morton’s junior. 

Regardless of who they choose, the Braves have some successors coming up the pipeline to fill the spots in the rotation. 

Prospects, A.J. Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep have looked much stronger in Triple-A as the season comes to a close. They could be ready to take a rotation spot next season. 

Another option could be Ian Anderson. Some would have liked to have seen him up with the Braves already. But depending on how the free agent market plays out, that time might be coming.