Braves: Max Fried only has one hurdle left to make long-awaited return

The Atlanta Braves should be getting back Max Fried in the rotation within the next week or so.

All that stands between Max Fried and his long-awaited return to the Atlanta Braves rotation is one last rehab start at Triple-A Gwinnett.

It has been a frustrating year for the Braves’ ace. He pulled his hamstring covering the first base bag on Opening Day vs. the Washington Nationals. After a brief stint on IL, Fried went back on it for the better part of three months with a left forearm strain. Thankfully, Bryce Elder and Spencer Strider were All-Stars and Charlie Morton continues to shove on the reg, well, because he is Chuck.

David O’Brien of The Athletic provided a very important health update regarding Fried’s return.

We knew he was close, but after Friday night’s third rehab start for the Gwinnett Stripers, the expectation is that he will have one final one in Triple-A before being recalled to the Braves.

Max Fried should rejoin the Atlanta Braves rotation by the start of August

Obviously, we don’t want to rush him back, but it would be so good to have Fried in the Atlanta rotation again. What his return does is take even more pressure off Elder, Morton and Strider, in addition to the other guys who have kept the seat warm. Once Fried gets re-acclimated to the rotation, it will be all about seeing if another front-end starter in Kyle Wright can rejoin him soon.

Wright is probably not going to be ready for a few weeks after Fried. His season is not over, but we could be looking at something closer to a September return for last year’s 20-game winner. Regardless, I firmly believe the rotation getting healthier will be what gives Atlanta its second World Series championship in three years. The bullpen needs some work, but this rotation is fire!

Ultimately, the Braves will need Fried to be a big-game pitcher when the time comes. That would be in late September and throughout October. This regular season has been a wash for him ahead of what will be a most critical 2024 for him with Atlanta. Frankly, Fried could be making himself a ton of money by how well he pitches in the final two months of this season and deep into October.

Look for Fried to make his majestic return either vs. the Los Angeles Angels or the Chicago Cubs.