Braves rumors: 3 Max Fried replacements who are already on the roster
Of all the storylines swirling around the 2024 Atlanta Braves, Max Fried and his future appear to be front of mind for fans. The 30-year-old enters the final year of his contract as Atlanta's presumed No. 2 ace — a former Cy Young runner-up with one All-Star and three Gold Glove awards to his name.
Fried struggled with injuries last season, but he was razor-sharp when healthy. He went 8-1 across 14 starts, posting a 2.55 ERA and 1.133 WHIP with 80 strikeouts in 77.2 innings pitched. The southpaw is, without question, an important piece to the Braves' competitive puzzle. And yet, his future hangs in the balance. Atlanta has extended several players from Fried's generation, but he remains without even a hint of long-term stability.
Atlanta agreed to terms on a $15 million contract in 2024 to avoid arbitration, but Fried fought the Braves and lost his arbitration battle just last season. The Braves don't have a track record of paying pitchers top dollar and Fried figures to command a hefty payday on the open market.
As the two sides edge closer to a potential breakup, it's worth looking over the Braves' roster for potential in-house replacements.
3. Braves can turn to finesse expert Darius Vines
The Braves' rotation was a mess last season. Spencer Strider anchored the top. Fried was great... when he was available. Bryce Elder made the All-Star game, but his production fell off a cliff shortly afterward. Charlie Morton was steady, but no longer the top-shelf ace Braves fans were accustomed to. Kyle Wright only managed nine appearances due to injuries.
As a result, several prospects received their first taste of MLB action. Among them was 25-year-old Darius Vines, who made five appearances (two starts) for the Braves. He posted a respectable 3.98 ERA and 1.082 WHIP in 20.1 innings. That's not enough data to draw conclusions, but Vines was similarly excellent for the Triple-A Stripers — 2.36 ERA and 1.223 WHIP in 34.1 innings.
Vines is a unique pitcher, with low velocity on his fastball (89.8 MPH) and a cutter he relies upon heavily. He gets the most out of his four-pitch arsenal, however, with a low hard-hit rate (30.6 percent) and exit velocity (86.7 MPH). Vines keeps the ball in play for his defense. That is a skill.
If the Braves end up moving on from Fried, expect Vines to receive extensive consideration from Brian Snitker, Alex Anthopoulos, and the Atlanta higher-ups. He lacks power, but elite control and finesse can go a long way.