The Atlanta Braves and their All-Star free agent do not appear to be headed for a fairytale reunion.
Max Fried, a longtime Braves starting pitcher, is on the open market, and big-market teams are vying for him. The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are both reportedly interested in Fried, and the Braves have not made any touch with him as discussions begin.
Though the Braves still have plenty of starting pitching quality, including Cy Young winner Chris Sale, losing Fried will definitely be a significant blow. Fortunately, the Braves have a propensity for reviving veteran pitchers during free agency.
The only question now is who will be the Braves’ next rehabilitation project.
On Monday, CBS Sports’ R.J. Anderson projected that the Braves would sign two-time World Series winner Nathan Eovaldi, who just declined his player option for the 2025 season with the Texas Rangers.
“The Braves could stand to lose Max Fried to free agency and Charlie Morton to retirement,” Anderson told reporters. “That makes them a natural fit for Eovaldi, who continues to chug along as a solidly above-average starting pitcher.”
Eovaldi, who will be 35 years old in 2025, is a seasoned postseason performer. He played a key role in the Boston Red Sox’s 2018 victory and the Rangers’ 2023 World Series championship, going 5-0 in six starts in the latter year. He has a career playoff ERA of 3.05.
The Braves are certain that they will return to the playoffs, so having Eovaldi on their side would be quite beneficial. And at a projected two-year, $45 million price tag (per The Athletic), he could be a steal.
