Max Fried gets the start for the Atlanta Braves this afternoon against the Minnesota Twins. Opposing teams have yet to score on Fried in his first two starts of Spring Training. The southpaw looks to continue his lights-out pitching, demonstrating why he was second in voting for the 2022 Cy Young Award.
Fried didn't disappoint going 6.1 scoreless innings in just 68 pitches, 46 of those for strikes. The only hit he allowed was a Kyle Garlick single in the fifth inning. That base runner was immediately erased two pitches later by a double play led by Max Fried. He has surrendered just four hits so far this Spring while striking out 14. Collin McHugh relieved Fried and went 1.1 hitless innings in his second appearance of the Spring. He has pitched 3.1 innings allowing just one hit and no runs.
Ozzie Albies starts the game off with a bang, hitting a leadoff home run courtesy of Twins pitcher Kenta Maeda. That's Albies third homer of the season. The 26-year-old second baseman has hinted at striving for a 40-40 season and he's already given us a taste of his more aggressive approach at the plate. The Braves kept it going in the 2nd inning when Sam Hilliard drew a walk, stole second, and scored on a single by Joshua Fuentes. Marcell Ozuna broke it open in the 3rd with a three-run shot over the left-center field wall, his first of the season.
Also of note, Braden Shewmake was once again inserted into the SS position, further muddying up the Vaughn Grissom vs Braden Shewmake roster battle. Grissom hasn't started at the SS position since March 14. Some are putting Shewmake ahead in the competition to open the season as the Braves' starting shortstop. But he didn't help himself today committing the only error this Spring between both players.
The Braves look to continue their winning ways with their fourth straight win tomorrow afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays at 1:05 EST. The starting pitcher for the Braves is going to be Kyle Wright making his spring training debut. It is going to be very interesting to see how long he pitches into the game and how he looks.