Brian Snitker sounds like he already knows Braves won't bring back Max Fried

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried tossed a gem on Saturday, throwing six innings of one-run ball when his team needed it most. Atlanta is still alive for the NL Wild Card race and now sit just two games behind the rival New York Mets with a series at Truist Park between the two looming. Every win is vital, as it keeps the Braves within striking distance prior to that vital showdown.

“It’s the time of the year where we’re at. I really only had two starts left, so you’ve just got to dig deep,” Fried said, “and every ounce of what I had today, I wanted to make sure I left it out there.”

Fried knows this more than most, but his manager Brian Snitker couldn't help but share an emotional tidbit in what could be one of Fried's final starts for the Braves should they fail to overcome that two-game deficit.

“He’s been really good for his time here, that’s for sure,” Snitker said. “He burst on the scene here when he was a kid. I’ve had a really cool seat watching Max mature and come into being one of the elite left-handed pitchers in our game.”

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Brian Snitker knows Max Fried could leave the Braves soon

Notice the past tense used by Snitker, specifically, as if he's saying goodbye to an old friend. Alex Anthopoulos will have the final say in what happens to Fried this winter, or if the Braves make him a competitive offer. Thus far, conversations between the two sides have not gone well, and it's unclear if Fried's price tag has dropped this season.

When healthy, Atlanta features a formidable starting rotation for 2025 in Spencer Strider, Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez and more. Fried would be a welcome addition to that mix, but at a lofty price tag.

However, all three of those players have past injury concerns. Strider underwent Tommy John earlier this season. Lopez is on the injured list as of this writing with shoulder inflammation, and hasn't spent much time as a starting pitcher in the past. Sale has had a series of elbow surgeries and saw a surprising dip in his fastball velocity in his last start. Essentially, Fried is one of the only starting pitchers they can count on right now despite that star-studded list.

Is Anthopoulos really willing to lose that stability?