As much logical sense as it may have made, the Atlanta Braves letting Max Fried leave in free agency did not feel great. Fried (mostly) came up to the big leagues with the Braves and was a part of so many big moments and pitched in numerous big games. The business of the baseball is what it is, but that doesn't mean it didn't suck.
Few wished that Fried would fall on his face even after he left Atlanta as he was a classy guy who just got an amazing contract. It would have been nice if the Yankees tanked, but Fried deserves a chance to shine wherever he ends up in his career.
It would have been nice to see him not shine quite as bright as he has through his first three games with the Yankees, though, as he has been absolute dominant while the Braves have struggled to do much of anything right thus far.
20+ K and sub-2.00 ERA through first 3 starts with Yankees
— New York Yankees Stats (@nyyankeesstats) April 9, 2025
Rudy May 1974
Orlando Hernandez 1998
Max Fried 2025
Max Fried has been crushing it as a Yankees, bringing mixed feelings for Braves fans
Considering some of the all-time great pitchers to play for the Yankees, it is pretty wild to see Fried in such rare company here. El Duque pulling this off makes sense as he was a force of nature in his time, but Rudy May is not a name we had on our bingo card to pull off 20 Ks and a sub-2 ERA in any stretch of games (though he did win the ERA title in 1980). Meanwhile, the Braves have put together a start to the 2025 season that is one most fans would just prefer to forget.
Of course, we knew that Fried was likely to be awesome this season wherever he ended up if he was healthy. The problem with re-signing him wasn't with the short-term production, but with how the massive contract he would inevitably command would age. At 31 years old, paying Fried $31 million plus a year until he is 38 is asking for the regression monster to claim him.
For now, great for Fried. While it would be preferable to see him shove on the mound in a Braves uniform, you won't find a lot of Atlanta fans actively rooting for his downfall unless New York is facing off against the Braves. Now if he is doing this 4-5 years from now with the Yankees, that could send Braves fans to a dark place wondering why the team didn't fork over $218 million themselves.