ATLANTA — If that is Max Fried’s last season in Atlanta, it would as nicely finish like every of his earlier six seasons: with a visit to the playoffs.
Fried appeared like a person on a mission as he aided the Braves’ postseason bid in a 3-1 win over the Blue Jays on Friday night time at Truist Park. His effort prolonged the September dominance he has produced every of the previous three seasons.
“That’s the Max we all know,” catcher Travis d’Arnaud mentioned. “He’s not afraid of anyone. He simply assaults guys and he’s not afraid of contact. He did an incredible job at the moment.”
After their offense was silenced by Austin Gomber in a loss to the Rockies on Thursday night time, the Braves tallied a three-run second inning towards Kevin Gausman. The early manufacturing was greater than sufficient for Fried, who allowed one unearned run and 5 hits whereas placing out eight over seven innings.
“He’s stringing collectively loads of good outings in a row now, like we’ve seen him do previously rather a lot,” supervisor Brian Snitker mentioned.
Fried, who can be a free agent this winter, will all the time be remembered for the six scoreless innings he delivered when the Braves clinched the 2021 World Collection with a Sport 6 victory in Houston. What won’t be as simply remembered is how he helped safe a Nationwide League East title whereas producing a 1.54 ERA whereas totaling 41 innings over six September begins that season.
The stoic southpaw is now 9-2 with a 1.64 ERA over the 16 September begins he has made going again to 2021. Blake Snell leads the league with a 1.57 ERA over 13 September begins throughout this four-season span.
“There’s no second too large for him,” d’Arnaud mentioned. “He’s superb at staying calm and realizing he simply has to execute and never do an excessive amount of. It confirmed at the moment.”
Fried has a 2.35 ERA in 32 profession appearances (26 begins) in September. This ranks third amongst all MLB pitchers who’ve thrown at the least 120 innings in September going again to Fried’s 2017 rookie season. The one pitchers with a greater mark are Justin Verlander (2.20) and Snell (2.26).
“The final couple years, there’s all the time been a snag that hits, however I’m feeling actually nice,” Fried mentioned. “This time of yr, we’re coming all the way down to the top and we don’t have many video games left, so that you’re simply placing all of it on the road to your teammates and to your group.”
The snags Fried referenced have been the virus that prompted him to lose 15 kilos in the course of the last week of the 2022 common season, and the blister that compelled him to overlook the ultimate week of the 2023 common season.
Carrying a wholesome Fried, Chris Sale and Reynaldo López into October would give the Braves the type of beginning pitching trio that might carry them deep into the playoffs. However they need to achieve entry. They’re presently tied with the Mets for the NL’s last Wild Card spot.
“All I take into consideration is we have to win tomorrow,” Snitker mentioned. “I don’t get caught up [in the Wild Card standings]. I do know it’s there. Nevertheless it doesn’t do me any good as a result of a very powerful factor we’re going to do that yr is play tomorrow’s sport.”
When you could have a rotation just like the Braves have, it’s often comforting to look towards that subsequent sport. Atlanta’s starters haven’t allowed greater than three earned runs in any of their previous 25 video games. Per Elias, that is the sixth longest streak in MLB historical past, trailing solely the 2021 Dodgers (32 video games), 1972 Indians (28), 1908 St. Louis Browns (26), 1917 White Sox (26) and the 1966 Phillies (26).
“We’re throwing the ball nicely and that’s type of the place you wish to be on the finish of the yr,” Fried mentioned.
The Braves owned only a half-game division lead earlier than Fried threw seven scoreless innings in a Sept. 19, 2021 win in San Francisco. The lead grew to 1 1/2 video games when he threw a three-hit shutout in San Diego 5 days later. A division title was clinched the next week.
September’s arrival has given Fried an opportunity to take cost but once more.
“Realizing I solely have a handful of begins left, I wish to depart all of it on the market,” Fried mentioned.
