Padres Linked to All-Star $174 Million Ace in Free Agency

Maren Angus-Coombs | Nov 7, 2024

Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Max Fried received a qualifying offer from the Atlanta Braves on Monday, but the seasoned left-hander is likely looking ahead to the more substantial offers expected in free agency.

Teams extend a qualifying offer to ensure they receive draft pick compensation if the player signs elsewhere. The Braves offered Fried a one-year, $21.05 million deal, likely anticipating he’ll decline it before the Nov. 19 deadline at 1 p.m. PT.

Since the Braves went over the Competitive Balance Tax last season, they would receive a compensatory pick after the fourth round of the 2025 Draft if Fried joins another team.

Should Fried decide to sign elsewhere, would the San Diego Padres be a good fit?

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com thinks they could be, along with the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers.

"Fried is one of the few homegrown Braves who never signed a long-term extension, which will send him to the free-agent market following his second All-Star campaign in three years," Feinsand wrote. "The left-hander’s 3.25 ERA in 29 starts was actually his highest since 2019, but Fried – a three-time NL Gold Glove winner – is one of the top starting pitchers available this winter."

In his recently published list of the top 45 MLB free agents, Jim Bowden projected that Fried would land a six-year, $174 million contract. He identified the Mets, Braves, Baltimore Orioles, and Boston Red Sox as the "best team fits" for the left-handed pitcher.

"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," he wrote.

Fried was a pivotal acquisition for the Braves during their extensive rebuild, which helped them secure six consecutive National League East titles from 2018 to 2023 and reach the postseason for a seventh straight year this past season. He made his debut with Atlanta in Aug. 2017 and achieved a career-high 17 wins in 2019.

Fried earned a fifth-place finish in the Cy Young Award voting in 2020 and took second place after the 2022 season. Now, at 30 years old and a two-time All-Star, he has maintained a solid 2.80 ERA while making 73 starts over the last three seasons. This track record of success has positioned him as one of the top pitchers on the free-agent market.