ATLANTA — As Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos sat in front of fans during a Q&A session at BravesFest on Saturday, he saw a young kid holding a sign that lobbied for Max Fried to remain in Atlanta beyond 2024. Anthopoulos also fielded a question regarding the veteran left-hander’s long-term future.
Meanwhile, Fried’s session with media members introduced him to similar queries. Everyone wants to get a feel for whether this will be the southpaw’s final season with the Braves.
“It’s out of my control right now,” Fried said. “But the Braves do things a certain way and I know that privacy and doing things behind closed doors is the way things are done. I respect that. I know I love being here and I’m really excited to get started with this group.”Having seen both Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson exit via free agency in recent years, Atlanta fans realize it doesn’t really matter what is said before negotiations begin. Players express their interest in staying. Teams express their interest in keeping players. And in the end, money usually trumps desire.
Fried will forever be a part of Atlanta sports history. But how much longer will the Braves be a part of his future? The lefty will be eligible for free agency once the upcoming season concludes.
“This is all I really know,” said Fried, who has been part of the Braves organization since the Padres traded him to Atlanta as a Minor League pitcher in 2015. “This organization has been nothing but supportive to me. I know the fans and city have really embraced me. I’ve really enjoyed my time here.”
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