Alex Anthopoulos mentally prepares Braves fans to lose Max Fried this winter

If it weren't for Ozzie Albies making his MLB debut just one week before him, Max Fried would be the longest-tenured Atlanta Braves player. He is the longest-tenured Braves pitcher right now, having been in the majors for parts of the last eight seasons all of which came in Atlanta.

Fried has pitched to a 3.07 ERA in 168 appearances (151 starts) with the Braves, going 73-36 when he's taken the ball. He holds the fourth-best win percentage in franchise history among qualified pitchers. He's a two-time All-Star, a three-time Gold Glover, and even took home a Silver Slugger back when pitchers hit in the National League. He also, of course, was part of the 2021 World Series-winning team.

He is, by all measures, a Braves legend. That's what makes his future free agent status so scary for Braves fans. Based on how Alex Anthopoulos has operated, Fried has felt like a goner ever since this season began. Based on what Anthopoulos had to say about his future in Atlanta, the odds of him staying don't look great.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to, our weekly MLB newsletter, The Moonshot and join the discord to get the inside scoop between now and the MLB offseason.

Braves fans should start preparing for Max Fried's inevitable departure in free agency

"Obviously, he’s scheduled to be a free agent. We’d love to have him back, but 30 teams would love to have Max Fried, right? And we’ll see where that goes. But he’s sincere. So it makes sense to me that he’s always been sincere about everything here. You know, these guys that become great players, rightfully so, they become really sought after. So, we’ll see where that goes," Anthopoulos said.

Fried has said all along that he wants to be a Brave and has enjoyed his time with the organization, and the Braves want him back. The problem is that no extension with Fried has been reached to remain in Atlanta long-term. This means that he'll test free agency. As Anthopoulos says, 30 teams would love to have him. That smells like a bidding war will be taking place. That doesn't bode well for Atlanta's chances.

The Braves can spend a ton to keep him, but will they? I mean, in the last three years alone, they've let Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson, two faces of their franchise, walk in free agency. Braves fans adored both players, as they do with Fried, but Anthopoulos shrewdly let both of them walk as he viewed their contracts as not being worthwhile.

As much as it'd sting to lose Fried, Braves fans should have full confidence in Anthopoulos to find a replacement. He replaced Freeman with Matt Olson who has been as good, if not better than Freeman since he signed with the Dodgers. Olson also happens to be younger and on a cheaper deal for a longer period than Freeman. He replaced Swanson with Orlando Arcia who was not good in 2024, but was an All-Star last season and is still well worth his cheap price tag.

Anthopoulos is the president of baseball operations who took a chance on Chris Sale and watched him pitch like best pitcher in the game. Anthopoulos is the president of baseball operations who, despite an impossible amount of major injuries, guided his team to the postseason. Had Fried stepped up in his last start, perhaps the Braves would've found a way to make things more interesting in October, too.

It'd hurt immensely to watch Fried wear another uniform, but at this point, Braves fans should come to accept it. It's how Anthopoulos has always operated, and it's what Anthopoulos is hinting at by saying just how much interest he expects Fried to generate. With that being said, though, Braves fans should have full confidence in Anthopoulos to find a worthwhile replacement. He's done it time and time again.