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Time to rethink the way Atlanta Braves use Max Fried and the bullpen

By Jake Mastroianni

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 04: Max Fried #54 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the eighth inning in game two of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 04, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 04: Max Fried #54 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the eighth inning in game two of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 04, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 04: Max Fried #54 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the eighth inning in game two of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 04, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 04: Max Fried #54 of the Atlanta Braves throws a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals in the eighth inning in game two of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 04, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /

The Braves new bullpen weapon

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Going into the postseason there was a lot of question marks surrounding how the Atlanta Braves would use Max Fried.

There was the thought that he would be available out of the bullpen in the first game and then still start game four.

Again, with the injury to Chris Martin that really changed everything. Now the Atlanta Braves are forced to use Fried as a weapon out of the bullpen, and man is he a weapon.

I won’t continue to beat a dead horse here, but I really don’t think Snitker has used Fried to his maximum potential so far.

In game one I kind of give him a pass because maybe he thought Fried was going to start game four and didn’t want him to go multiple innings.

But after Martin got hurt and you knew Fried was going to have to take his spot in the bullpen, there was no reason not to let him go back out for the ninth in game two.

Fried has been dominant out of the bullpen and has the ability to be an Andrew Miller or Josh Hader type reliever.

It’s a very small sample size this season, but he hasn’t given up an earned run out of the bullpen this year in 7.1 innings with 9 strikeouts, while allowing 2 hits and 3 walks.

Last year he was solid out of the bullpen as well giving up 6 ER on 12 hits and 7 walks in 14.1 innings with 18 strikeouts.

Overall as a reliever in the big leagues, he has a 3.07 ERA in 29.1 innings pitched with 33 strikeouts.

I certainly don’t want to see Fried go to the bullpen full-time. Next season I expect him to be a mainstay in the middle of the rotation.

Next. Snit's game 2 key decisions. dark

But as this postseason continues to unfold, Brian Snitker has to lean on him a bit more heavily out of the bullpen and allow him to go multiple innings.

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