Braves have never needed Max Fried to pitch like an ace more than on Monday night

Last night was yesterday, and this is now. The Atlanta Braves have taken two of the first three games vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers at home, but let one slip through the cracks that could come back to haunt them on Sunday night. Atlanta enters play at 81-68 on the season, all tied up with the arch rival New York Mets for the final NL Wild Card spot in. New York happens to play the Washington Nationals.

Admittedly, this may be asking a lot out of Max Fried with the consistently inconsistent Braves offense backing him up, but do they want to be pitching in October or not? Not to say that Fried has hurt his free agency stock, but he is not the pitcher that everyone was clamoring about all offseason long. He was an All-Star, but has been the third-best pitcher in the Atlanta rotation for this season.

The native Angeleno may end up signing with his hometown Dodgers in the offseason, but Atlanta is the only MLB franchise he has pitched for at the big-league level. He is the man responsible for getting the win in Atlanta's first World Series Championship since 1995 back in 2021. That was three years ago, and a lifetime ago, but one thing is certain: Fried needs to go out there and shove tonight.

Atlanta cannot bank on the Mets making a mess of it when they take on the Nationals on Monday.

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Max Fried needs to pitch like an ace to avoid falling out of postseason race

It may not be postseason baseball just yet, but these are the type of games that big-time pitchers like Fried need to win. This game is at home, and outside of one stupid inning very late in the ballgame last night, Atlanta has been able to keep the Dodgers' bats quiet. Fried is just recently turned 30, and we have to wonder where he will be closing out his prime with as a professional, Atlanta or elsewhere.

I think this season for the Braves has shown us how important great starting pitching can be. While the bullpen has been good for the most part, the offense has not held up its end of the bargain throughout most of the campaign. Yes, there have been moments here and there, as well as Marcell Ozuna's great season at the plate, but where would the Braves be without their stellar starting staff?

Ultimately, whatever Fried wants is right in front of him. Whether that be another postseason berth, a new contract, or some combination of both, it is up to him to go get it. While he has been as good as advertised for this season, this year will be remembered for what Chris Sale and Reynaldo Lopez did in the Atlanta rotation more than him. Now is the time to make sure that we remember all three fondly.

The fact Fried pitched like straight trash the last time he went up against the Dodgers is still vivid.