Will Max Fried momentum lead to Braves long-term extension?

Last year's injury-riddled campaign may have been a blessing in disguise for both Max Fried and the Atlanta Braves. Fried, who is often seen as the ace of Atlanta's deep pitching staff, is entering his final year with the team. Once he became arbitration-eligible in Atlanta, it often became a long-drawn-out process for both parties. Neither party was able to reach an agreement and had to go to arbitration.

But on Thursday, Fried, along with left-handed reliever A.J. Minter, were able to avoid arbitration all together and signed their one-year deals with their current club well ahead of time. At times, Fried and Minter have shown the can carry a rotation, and the bullpen, respectively. Both are either pushing or about to turn 30. Either way, they are very much in the heart of their respective big league careers.

Only a few weeks ago, the thought was this would surely be Fried's last year in Atlanta. If he pitched up to his standard, he would command more money than Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos would be willing to pay. It would put the Braves in a theoretical arms race with someone like his favorite team from childhood in the Los Angeles Dodgers. We know what the Dodgers are all about.

However, the more you think about it, Fried settling this soon signifies that he might be willing to stay.

The other big components in Fried's ability to remain in Atlanta have everything to do with the Chris Sale trade with the Boston Red Sox, as well as what Charlie Morton wants to do pushing 40 or so.

Max Fried settles: Will Atlanta Braves bring him back on long-term deal?

If you look at Atlanta's projected rotation, only Spencer Strider is going to be part of it for the foreseeable future. Yes, you could say the same things about Bryce Elder, but he needs to prove his stellar first-half from last year was more than a flash in the pan. Either way, Strider has already been extended, and Elder is still in the infancy of his major-league contract with the Braves organization.

Sale will be part of this team this year and next, and possibly even beyond that, as Atlanta could offer the perennial All-Star southpaw a club option for 2026. We cannot reasonably expect for Morton to still be pitching by then. Assuming Strider stays healthy and Elder continues to improve, Atlanta may have two starting rotation spots available. One would think Fried getting an extension is in play here.

So even if Anthopoulos has to do something he hates and pay a premium price for a depreciating asset in Fried, he can afford to do so because that No. 5 spot in the rotation could go to another up-and-coming star prospect like an A.J. Smith-Shawver or something. Either way, I don't envision the Braves paying an arm and a leg to round out that last spot in the rotation. They can afford Fried now.

Overall, I think Atlanta's number to retain Fried just went up, but there is a chance they can be outbid.