Braves get an unlikely assist in attempt to keep Max Fried from arch rivals

Atlanta Braves ace Max Fried will hit free agency this winter, and he's pitching like a man with a lot of money to make. Fried missed much of last season with an arm injury, but has catapulted himself back into the NL Cy Young conversation in 2024. Fried is 6-2 with a 2.93 ERA, 1.018 WHIP, 140 ERA+ and two complete games to his name already.

Fried is a west coast native, so he's long been favored to head back home and sign with either the Angels or Dodgers. In reality, his free-agent pool will likely be far larger than that. The Dodgers can offer Fried the chance to win right away, and perhaps a lot of money. Considering the Braves lost Freddie Freeman to LA just a few short offseasons ago, Fried departing for similar reasons would be a nightmare.

Fried's importance to this pitching staff has never been more obvious. With Strider out for the season, the Braves can no longer count on their 1-for-1 replacement for Fried this winter should he leave. Strider, who made the NL All-Star team and finished fourth in the NL Cy Young race in 2023, has a long battle ahead to come back from his second major elbow injury. Is Alex Anthopoulos still comfortable moving on from his 30-year-old workhorse with that in mind?

Braves get a favor from The Athletic's MLB player survey

The Athletic's recent survey -- which polled more than 100 current MLB players on issues in the game itself, as well as fun topics like MVP candidates, overrated stars and possible free-agent destinations -- did the Braves a big favor. That latter point paints Atlanta as an ideal landing spot for any top free agent. So, why would Fried leave?

"In an anonymous player poll conducted this spring, we asked a pool of more than 100 players which team they would sign with if contracts, state taxes and rosters were not a factor," C. Trent Rosecrans wrote ($). "Eighty-six players responded, and the Atlanta Braves were their top pick, with 12.7 percent of the vote."

The Braves treat their players right, and are destined to win consistently over the next decade. Fried knows this, which is why leaving Atlanta would be so hard. However, it should also be noted that The Athletic took state taxes and money out of the equation. Fried could potentially get more money and security elsewhere, especially if Anthopoulos doesn't meet his asking price.

Paying top dollar for pitchers over 30 years old is a risk, and the market could be stagnant after last offseason's struggles by the likes of Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery. Will the Braves eventually give in?