According to a recent claim from a well-known MLB insider, if the Atlanta Braves want to keep All-Star this winter, they may have to outbid two World Series contenders in free agency.
While this has not been the Braves’ expected season, the fact that they are still in playoff contention in the last week is worth noting. Atlanta lost its top two players, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Spencer Strider, early in the season, but they have remained in playoff contention.
Marcell Ozuna, Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, and Max Fried have all played exceptionally well to help them accomplish this. Fried’s impressive tenure in Atlanta, however, may come to an end after this season, as the two-time All-Star will be available for free agency this winter.
After Corbin Burnes and Blake Snell, he is the next best starting pitcher on the upcoming market. That means Atlanta will face stiff competition to retain him, as discussed during a Bleacher Report live stream with MLB expert Jon Heyman.
Max Fried numbers (2024): 10-10 record, 3.42 ERA, 1.195 WHIP, 157 SO, 55 BB, and 165.2 innings.
Jon Heyman believes Atlanta Braves could lose Max Fried to Dodgers or Orioles this winter
During the stream, Heyman disclosed two teams that could pose major competition for the 30-year-old. The first team was the Los Angeles Dodgers. Fried is a native of Santa Monica, California, and the franchise is always looking for famous free agents.
The opposing squad is a title contender from the east coast. The MLB insider believes that if the Baltimore Orioles lose Corbin Burnes in MLB free agency this winter, Fried would be a likely fallback choice for the team to maintain their current status as a contender.
The Dodgers are always eager to spend heavily in free agency, as we witnessed last winter. However, in the first offseason under billionaire new owner David Rubenstein, the Orioles might become a force to reckon with. Atlanta may struggle to outbid both this winter.
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