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After Bryce Elder, it was Max Fried’s time to shine. Elder pitched 6⅔ scoreless innings in his first MLB start of the season, as the Atlanta Braves shutout the Miami Marlins on Monday.
In Game 2, Fried was handed the start and he didn’t disappoint. He pitched a complete game and was thoroughly dominant. His final line read nine innings, three hits, zero walks and six strikeouts.
Fried admitted after the game that he did take some inspiration from Elder’s excellent Monday outing. He also mentioned that it was Braves catcher Travis D’Arnaud who encouraged him to aim for a complete game.
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“Just talking to Travis [D'Arnaud], he just mentioned in passing ‘next time you go out there, I want a complete game,’ so hearing that and seeing how efficient Bryce was last night motivated me.” - Max Fried said after the third shutout of his career
Fried endured a rough start to the season. He struggled against the Phillies and Diamondbacks before finding the right gear again. He has now beaten the Marlins twice, surrendering only one earned run over a combined 15⅓ innings. His ERA is now down to 4.97.
Max Fried is going to be a valuable component for the Braves as they deal with Spencer Strider’s absence
Spencer Strider’s season-ending surgery left a huge void in the Braves rotation. But thankfully for them, they have enough tools in their arsenal to deal with the crisis.
Max Fried’s rough start to the season was concerning, but he looks like himself again. Bryce Elder showed on Monday that the Braves can depend on him when needed.
Fried's form and consistency is going to be absolutely crucial for Atlanta as it aims for its third-consecutive 100+ win season.
Reynaldo Lopez, Chris Sale and Charlie Morton are all exceptional options to lead Atlanta’s rotation. Managing them and ensuring no one is fatigued will be the real challenge. The Braves certainly can’t afford to have more pitchers on the IL.
