Braves News: Fried injured in first start, Opening Day trade, more
By Steven Teal
The 2023 MLB season is officially underway for the Atlanta Braves as they look to push for yet another opportunity at a World Series. First up for the Braves was an NL East matchup with the Washington Nationals. Atlanta got off to a good start as they were able to take Game 1 of the series by a final score of 7-2. Game 2 will take place on Saturday afternoon at 4:05 pm EST in DC.
More Atlanta Braves News
Unfortunately, the excitement of Opening Day for Braves fans was dulled a bit as it appears Max Fried may be heading for the injured list. Fried was covering first on a ground ball during the fourth inning of Thursday's game. He noticeably grimaced while reaching for the back of his left leg after making the play. Brian Snitker indicated he will miss one start but won't make a decision on the IL until he is re-evaluated in a few days.
Atlanta also acquired southpaw reliever Richard Lovelady from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for cash considerations. He was then optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett after the trade was complete. Lovelady was a tenth-round draft pick for the Royals in 2016 out of Kennesaw State University.
Lastly, the Atlanta Braves announced they had extended shortstop Orlando Arcia on a three-year deal worth $7.3 million. This deal also includes a club option for the 2026 season and provides Arcia with a $1 million raise for the 2023 season as he was originally set to make $1.3 million. He will go on to make $2 million in both 2024 and 2025. This is a very team-friendly deal and allows the Braves to have a solid depth option for the next couple of seasons going forward.
MLB News
The New York Mets are continuing to deal with the injury bug as they announced that Justin Verlander is going to be placed on the IL with a muscle strain near his pitching shoulder. This was decided after his bullpen session on Wednesday and a noticeable dip in velocity during his final Spring Training start.
Speaking of New York, the Yankees made a trade to help bolster their bullpen. They acquired Colten Brewer from Tampa Bay in exchange for cash considerations. Brewer was signed by the Rays on a minor league deal but will now be added to the Yankees 40-man roster thanks to what is known as an assignment clause.