Braves fans will love Max Fried's response about his looming free agency

Atlanta Braves ace Max Fried is focused on the here and now, rather than the long winter ahead. However, given Atlanta's struggles of late, fans and pundits alike can't help but wonder if this is Fried's final season with the Braves. If so, Fried wants to go out with a bang.

Fried has been one of the only good things about this Atlanta roster in 2024. With Spencer Strider forced to miss the rest of the season with an elbow injury, Fried has been the ace of this Braves pitching staff, even if Chris Sale and Reynaldo Lopez have better numbers. Fried is a leader in the clubhouse and steady every fifth day, no matter what. Coming off a season in which he was forced to miss 2-3 months due to injury, Fried's stability is a breath of fresh air.

The 30-year-old Fried credits his teammates for his success, and they certainly deserve some of the praise.

"I’ve always had a really, really great support system – people who have been nothing but helpful and love to give or give back," Fried said, per Gabe Lacques of USA Today. "To be able to show my appreciation for teammates and friends and do certain things – if I get the opportunity to help out or to give to someone, I try to take advantage of that."

Where will Max Fried sign in free agency? Nobody knows

Fried is scheduled to become a free agent this winter. Negotiations with the Braves front office and Alex Anthopoulos have not gone well in recent years. Anthopoulos isn't one to devote much money to a starting pitcher over the age of 30, but if anything can change his mind, it's Atlanta's durability issues this season. As for Fried, he's not ready to talk about any looming change of scenery.

Fried said he “hasn’t even begun to think about anything in that realm,” per Lacques, which shows a lot about his character as a teammate and leader in the Braves clubhouse.

Were Fried to leave, the smart bet is on him heading west. Fried is a California native, and has long been connected to the Angels and Dodgers, as well as other franchises on the west coast such as the Padres and Giants. It'll be a tough decision when the time comes, but Fried remains grounded for now, and it determined to help his team turn it around in 2024.