Trading Max Fried could be a massive mistake for the Braves
Max Fried feels like he is meant to be an Atlanta Brave. That is easy to say since he has spent his entire MLB career with the Bravos. He was one of Atlanta's biggest acquisitions during the organizational rebuild. However, with that being said, trading Fried would feel like Atlanta losing a major piece of their franchise and potentially taking a step in the wrong direction.
While trading Max could potentially bring more offense to Atlanta, no one knows how that acquisition would perform after a change of scenery. A pitcher's performance seems to be far more consistent and that is especially the case for Max Fried.
The biggest con of trading Max Fried would be that it would leave a massive hole in the starting rotation. It feels like Max Fried, Chris Sale, and Reynaldo Lopez are the only reason Atlanta is above .500 at this point. With the offense struggling heavily, except for Marcell Ozuna, Atlanta is still finding ways to win baseball games thanks to the top of the rotation.
Max Fried's 10th, 11th, 12th & 13th Ks. 😳 pic.twitter.com/WtlaIgIMaa
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 5, 2024
The Braves can still make some noise
We all remember how the 2021 season ended. Ronald Acuna Jr. was out with an ACL tear, Atlanta revamped their entire outfield at the trade deadline, won the division with just 88 wins, and ultimately brought the World Series trophy home.
To say that history will repeat itself in 2024 may be a little far-fetched. However, believe it or not, Atlanta can still make a playoff run. Although they feel buried in the division at this point, the Braves remain 4.5 games up on the Padres for the top NL Wild Card spot.
If AA decided to trade Max, Atlanta would lose a key piece in a playoff run. A fierce competitor like Fried who can go on short rest can help lead a team to a World Series.
We do not know what the future holds for Max Fried and the Atlanta Braves. However, there may be more to consider regarding Fried's future with the franchise than most people think.