The Atlanta Braves have a significant offseason ahead of them.
Following high expectations for 2024, the Braves fell short on their faces during the regular season. The team had a string of bad seasons and injuries.
This winter is critical for the Braves since it is the time to rebuild the squad to where everyone expected it to be heading into 2024. Unfortunately, the Braves are not only not expected to progress forward; many analysts expect them to take steps backward.
ESPN’s David Schoenfield recently projected that desired Braves free agent Max Fried would leave Atlanta this offseason. Schoenfield forecasts that Fried will sign a six-year, $175 million contract with the Boston Red Sox, where he will reunite with high school teammate Lucas Giolito.
“Or they could simply sign a top-of-the-rotation starter. The staff was decent enough in 2024, finishing sixth in the majors in terms of ERA, but Tanner Houck was the only regular with an ERA less than 4.00, and Nick Pivetta is a free agent,” Schoenfield said. “None of their starters are left-handed, however, and Fried is a good fit for Fenway Park since he induces grounders so often.”
The Red Sox have long targeted Fried. Boston is definitely looking for left-handed pitching, thus the top candidates left on the market are Fried and Chicago White Sox starter Garrett Crochet.
If you ask me, Fried is easily the better of the two, as he gives greater consistency and would not cost any top prospects.
For the Braves, losing Fried without replacing him with another ace-caliber pitching would be disastrous. Atlanta was already struggling with pitching depth in 2024.
