Atlanta Braves right-handed pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach had himself a nigh on Saturday against the Phillies, and may have solidified a spot in the starting rotation for the National League All-Star team as a result. With his outing, in which he struck out 12 Phillies hitters, Schwellenbach has thrown at least six innings in 10 straight starts. There is only one former Braves ace who has achieved such a marquee accomplishment of late, and it should be a familiar name – Max Fried.
Schwellenbach has been a workhorse for the Braves, much like Fried was. As MLB.com pointed out, his streak is the second-longest in the majors behind Bryan Woo of the Mariners. Fried accomplished the same feat back in 2022.
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Why did the Braves let Max Fried walk?
The Braves lost Fried this past winter, of course. Atlanta never stood a chance given the offer he eventually accepted from the New York Yankees. Fried signed a eight-year, $218 million deal with the Yankees and has been their ace all season long. He's been especially valuable due to the injury to Gerrit Cole, and could be in the running for AL Cy Young if he keeps up this history pace.
Fried, who is on the wrong side of 30 years old, was always going to make the Braves look bad early on in his long-term deal. Alex Anthopoulos is banking on a steady Fried decline late into that eight-year contract, but whether that actually occurs is a guessing game.
Spencer Schwellenbach heals the Braves Max Fried wound
Replacing Fried was never going to be easy, but Atlanta did enter the season with a starting rotation full of talent in a returning Spencer Strider, defending NL Cy Young winner Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, Schwellenbach and more. If any team were built to withstand such a loss, it is the one Anthopoulos assembled.
Of course, that doesn't make watching Fried succeed at such a clip any easier for Braves fans. So far this season in the Bronx, Fried has a 3.7 WAR, an MLB-leading 10 wins and a 1.92 ERA. If it weren't for Tarik Skubal, Fried would be the runaway favorite for AL Cy Young.
At the very least, Schwellenbach's continued emergence has made losing Fried a bit of an easier pill to swallow. He is on a far more affordable deal, and at just 25 years old could be an organizational pillar for the Atlanta rotation for years to come. That is more than Fried could've offered, especially at $218 million.
Unfortunately for the Braves and for Schwellenbach, the Fried comparisons are unlikely to end anytime soon, especially with Atlanta currently sitting out of a playoff spot in the National League. The Yankees, meanwhile, are in prime position to win the AL East.