Max Fried's late All-Star Game addition was a blessing and a curse for the Braves

Like clockwork, the 2024 Atlanta Braves find new and creative ways to run their rabid fanbase through the gauntlet. Atlanta has already lost ace pitcher Spencer Strider and last year's NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. for the season. With Max Fried going on the IL with a forearm nerve issue, it was only to be outdone with Ozzie Albies breaking another bone in his body. His wrist snapped back on a tag...

There is a lot to unpack here, but mostly it is not going to be the Braves' year. What indications have you seen thus far that lead you to believe an improbable 2021-esque turnaround is about to happen? At some point, Michael Harris II will be back manning centerfield. While Fried's latest stint on the IL seems to be the shorter variety, it also creates another issue for the franchise at the deadline.

General manager Alex Anthopoulos needs to add a true Acuña replacement before the end of the month in the outfield. While he may also want to improve the rotation, having Fried out puts even more pressure on All-Stars Reynaldo Lopez and Chris Sale. Plus, do we really need to put more pressure on 40-something Charlie Morton or Atlanta's best No. 5 option in Spencer Schwellenbach?

There are a few silver linings to all this, but right now, the present low-key kind of sucks for the Braves.

Max Fried's latest injury is both a blessing and a curse for Atlanta Braves

The good news is it seems like he will be able to return for the home stretch this season. In all honesty, it probably helps Atlanta's chances of being able to re-sign him in free agency. Fried did the diplomatic thing by saying he wants to stay in Atlanta, but we all know how Anthopoulos operates. More importantly, Fried is a native Angeleno who once idolized Clayton Kershaw and Sandy Koufax...

Right now, I would say this latest injury for Fried gives Atlanta a slightly better chance of retaining him in free agency, but I still remain pessimistic about him pitching for the Braves beyond this season. Again, we all know how Anthopoulos operates. However, this is another silver lining in this for the Braves. It means that Atlanta is not about to trade its most intriguing prospect in Nacho Alvarez Jr.

I remember a few years ago when Orlando Arcia went down with a hamstring injury after Albies broke his foot or something (he keeps breaking stuff!), that allowed Atlanta to have a real opportunity to see what Vaughn Grissom could do at the major-league level. It was fun while it lasted, but the intrigue he gave off ultimately allowed Anthopoulos to trade him to Boston for someone much better in Sale.

Dylan Dodd was recalled to replace Fried in the rotation, while Anthopoulos acted swiftly to supposedly sign utilityman Whit Merrifield off the street after previously playing with the hated Philadelphia Phillies. It seems to me that recent injuries to the Braves' core suggest that Anthopoulos will eventually give up an overrated pitching prospect for a starting outfielder of sorts.

Overall, everything that could go wrong for the Braves this year did. They are still very much in the postseason picture as a wild card team, but I am not going to get overly upset if they lose in the NLDS for the third year in a row. Maybe Atlanta can avoid the Phillies in that round, only to advance and then lose to them in the NLCS in seven games after blowing a 3-1 lead. I know what teams I root for, man...

If Fried's forearm problems prevent him from joining the Dodgers, or Alvarez being dealt, I'd be happy.