3 more Atlanta Braves extension candidates after Travis d’Arnaud contract

Braves: Max Fried has waited his turn

Max Fried picked the wrong time to get hurt. Fried has a year left on his current contract, so he won’t be a free agent until after the 2024 season. Nonetheless, he is the most obvious extension candidate on the club, and he entered the season as the team’s ace. As a negotiating tactic, Anthopoulos’ waiting game may have paid off. Fried’s value is lower now than it was last offseason, so perhaps he will take a more affordable contract offer.

Fried was happy for his teammates who received extensions last offseason, and claims he’s had positive conversations with the Braves front office over the years. Still, as a starting pitcher soon to be entering his 30’s, Atlanta has the depth necessary to play hardball.

“Me and the team have always had good dialogue,” Fried said back in February. “We’ve been able to have some good communication. I really love my time here and I love the team. So if that is something that comes to the table, it’s something we’ll talk about.”

Fried doesn’t have the electric stuff and velocity of a Spencer Strider, but he does offer consistency. On the open market, he could demand a lucrative contract, which is what the Braves are afraid of. If Anthopoulos doesn’t extend him now, coming off injury, then will he at all?

Fried could go the way of Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson before him — former Braves who are forced to excel elsewhere. AA can change that with one phone call.