SAN DIEGO — Max Fried sat at his locker staring forward. No phone. No facial expression. Just his stoic eyes gazed upon the unworn clothes hanging before him; including the jersey he might never don again.
His Braves teammates were collecting their belongings. Some were saying their good-byes, giving their hugs. Some were just grabbing a beverage, gathering around each other and conversing before walking to the team bus.
Fried stayed isolated at his locker, lost in nothingness.
Eventually, he checked his phone. Neighbor Dylan Lee strolled by and said a few words, but Fried remained impassive. He was disengaged, likely overwhelmed by his present, uncertain about his outlook yet still appreciating the past.
Minutes earlier, Fried had met with Atlanta media members to dissect what had just gone wrong. He lasted only two innings Wednesday night as the Braves were eliminated by the Padres in the wild-card round. Fried even took a ball off the hip that interfered with his performance on a night that was supposed to go differently.
Fried is scheduled to be a free agent this winter. He’s long maintained he doesn’t know what his future holds. But his red, watery eyes and uncharacteristic sentimentality – the latter shown Wednesday and following his last start at Truist Park – indicated an individual who’d accepted his fate.
In the sincerest moments, authenticity can’t be suppressed.
“To me, it means everything (to have been a Brave),” Fried said. “It’s the organization that traded for me and gave me the opportunity to come to the big leagues and be an established big-league player. Everyone from my teammates day in and day out, our coaching staff, the front office, organization, fans, city; obviously I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I have absolutely loved every minute of it and hope to have many more.”
The industry has expected Fried to sign elsewhere, ending a masterful run with the Braves that was highlighted by his six scoreless innings in the clinching Game 6 of the 2021 World Series.
Wednesday, then, would have been a game of true significance: His final start for the franchise that nourished him.
There’s long been a thought that Fried, a native of Santa Monica, California, would prefer signing on the West Coast. That line of thinking overlooks how much Fried has embraced Atlanta. It’s his home. It’s where he matured from boy to man; reliever to All-Star starter; blister-ridden youngster to champion.
Fried barely could contain himself speaking with reporters. His eyes oozed a million emotions, none of them joyful. He paused before answering questions regarding his appreciation for the organization. He saw friends Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson go through similar situations in the past few years before departing. That’s undoubtedly taken real estate in the back of his mind.
He’s always been professional and brief when discussing his contract situation. But he’s no dummy. Most fans have resigned to seeing Fried leave. So imagine how the player, knowing all the intricacies of negotiations and the process, must feel. Imagine how his teammates view it.
“I’ve been with (Fried) since 2016 in (High-A) Rome,” third baseman Austin Riley told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We’ve gotten to know each other from pretty much day one. We went through this whole journey together, winning a World Series to now. Whatever happens, I wish him the best. It’s been a privilege to play next to him.
“The type of pitcher he is, who wouldn’t want him on their team? I understand him being emotional. You spend so much time with an organization and (now) not really knowing what’s next. I’m pulling for him. Whatever happens, he’s got my support. We’ll just have to see.”
The sides didn’t come close to finding common ground in negotiations a while back. The Braves have four starters under contractual control they should be thrilled about – Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Reynaldo Lopez and Spencer Schwellenbach – with other needs to address. Fried, who turns 32 in January, is one of the best three potential free-agent starters this winter alongside Corbin Burnes and Blake Snell.
Never say never, but the stars don’t seem aligned for Fried’s return, barring a surprising development in his free agency.
“We’d love to have him back, but 30 teams would love to have Max Fried, right?” president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said Friday. “And we’ll see where that goes. He’s sincere, so it makes sense to me (that he’d be emotional Wednesday). He’s always been sincere about everything here. These guys that become great players, rightfully so, they become really sought after. We’ll see where the offseason goes. But Max, I’m a big fan.”
Fried’s departure would close the book on one of the greatest careers for a Braves pitcher. Yes, Fried joined Tom Glavine as lefty starters to help the franchise win a title-securing Game 6. But he’s also a two-time All-Star. He’s posted ERAs of 3.25 or better for five consecutive seasons.
He’s been a mainstay during each of the past seven postseason runs, from being a bullpen weapon in 2018 and 2019 to becoming an ace in 2020 and Cy Young runner-up in 2022. He’s been a consistent elevating presence for the club, even though his postseason numbers – a 5.10 ERA in 67 innings – leave more to be desired, partly a product of ill-timed ailments and some bad luck. His injury history will play role in his market value, too, but it won’t prevent him from receiving a massive payment.
“I hope he’s back, I really do,” catcher Travis d’Arnaud said. “He’s given his heart and soul to this organization. He’s been the winning pitcher of the World Series for this organization. He’s had multiple Madduxes for this organization (shutouts under 100 pitches). He’s treated everybody well, taught a lot of young guys his philosophies. I got really close with him. Me and him get along great. We spent time together in the offseason, we’ll go to dinners and stuff. I’m hoping to get to play with him next year.”
Overall, Fried is a well-respected representative for the franchise. There’s a strong case, looking at the total resume, that he’s the Braves’ best starter in the days since John Smoltz, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine.
“I knew he was already a good starter, established major-league pitcher, but I got to see him come into his own, especially in that ‘21 season,” veteran Charlie Morton, who signed with the Braves in November 2020, told the AJC. “The season for him was kind of a grind. He couldn’t get in a groove. You could see all that. But I got to see him come into his own at the end of that season. To make that start he made in the World Series, then it carry over. I’ve got to see him be an All-Star twice. Throw a lot of innings, pitch a lot of meaningful games, and really do a great job of keeping runs off the board. I got to see the process and how much he cares about what he does and being a good pitcher. So in a lot of ways, I was fortunate because I got to see him grow up a bit and come into his own – and for him to, I think, see himself as what everybody else would see, too.
“This year for him, he wasn’t satisfied at all. To watch him now, it reminds me of other dudes. Other guys who are elite pitchers. Because they expect more of themselves, even if they’re throwing well. He’s thrown the ball well all year. I hate this for him, the way he feels right now, because obviously he doesn’t know and we don’t know what the future holds for him as far as being a Brave. He has so much more left in him and I’m excited to watch the rest of it.”
It seems probable that whatever is left in him now will be provided to another franchise, but Fried always will be remembered as a Brave. An all-time great Brave.
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