MLB Rumors: Red Sox big move looming, Blake Snell finalists, Braves out of excuses
- The Boston Red Sox are circling around Jordan Montgomery.
- Blake Snell is down to the Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants.
- The Atlanta Braves have too much money not to sign Max Fried.
By Mark Powell
MLB Rumors: Braves raking in too much money to let Max Fried walk
Moving to Cobb County turned out to be the right choice for the Atlanta Braves. Because the Braves are a publicly-traded company, their revenue is available for all to see. The Braves generated over $600 million last season, as compared to their $262 million in 2016, which was also their final season at Turner Field. While the move to the burbs was unpopular at the time, ownership has to be thrilled with those margins.
Now, why should the average MLB fan care? That answer is relatively simple. Except for in some very extreme situations, MLB owners are making money. Don't let them tell you otherwise. Liberty Media is no exception, which makes it all the more confusing why they haven't signed Max Fried to a contract extension.
Fried is one of the best pitchers in baseball and is just over 30 years old. He doesn't rely too heavily on velocity which is sure to dip as he ages. If anything, Fried is as close to a sure bet as one can be on the other side of 30. Yet, the Braves seem inclined to let the CAA client walk.
Fried is from the west coast, and has already been connected to the Angels or worse, the Dodgers. For Fried to leave Atlanta and join his former teammate Freddie Freeman on Atlanta's primary competition for an NL pennant would be a deadly blow, and it's a legitimate possibility.
Hopefully Liberty Media will reconsider their position if they continue to rake in cash as they did in 2023.