Braves win 7th straight as Fried returns with 5 scoreless frames
SAN DIEGO — If historical past does certainly repeat itself, the Braves are hoping Max Fried will proceed to journey a path just like 2021.
Fried took the mound for the primary time in practically three weeks and effectively guided the Braves to a seventh straight victory, 2-0 over the Padres on Monday evening at Petco Park.
Fried’s spectacular return enhances the passion surrounding an Atlanta rotation that feels complete for the primary time this yr.
“He looked really good,” Braves supervisor Brian Snitker stated. “It’s hard to believe he had a layoff like that, as sharp as he was. It went kind of exactly how we wanted it to go.”
Austin Riley’s two-run homer within the first inning offered all the crucial assist for Fried, who allowed 4 hits over 5 innings. The veteran lefty retired every of the ultimate 10 batters confronted, however was restricted to 79 pitches due to the lengthy layoff.
Other than a 50-pitch reside batting apply at Truist Park final week, this was Fried’s first aggressive outing since he strained his left hamstring masking first base in the course of the third inning of his Opening Day begin at Nationals Park.
“Any time you have a couple weeks off from game action, you’re not sure how you’re going to be,” Fried stated. “Coming into it, I didn’t want to have too high of expectations.”
Fried pitched round a pair of singles within the first inning after which surrendered two extra delicate singles, neither of which had an exit velocity above 71 mph, within the second inning. He proved excellent over the rest of his outing and seemed very like he did final yr, when he completed second in National League Cy Young Award balloting.
Or perhaps Fried seemed like he did after lacking three weeks with a proper hamstring pressure in the course of the early a part of the 2021 season? How did that season finish? Fried posted an MLB-best 1.74 ERA after the All-Star break after which pitched six scoreless innings because the Braves ended the World Series with a Game 6 win over the Astros.
“You never have to worry about Max being ready and doing his work,” Snitker stated. “That’s one of the most dedicated guys I’ve been around in my life. We were excited about getting him back out there today.”
It was a well timed return. The Padres took Fried with the seventh total decide within the 2012 MLB Draft after which traded him to the Braves within the December 2014 deal that introduced Justin Upton to San Diego.
With his outing Monday evening and a complete-game shutout on Sept. 24, 2021, Fried has totaled 14 scoreless innings at Petco Park. But as a substitute of claiming he carried just a little further motivation in these outings, the Southern California native stated it has extra to do with pitching in entrance of household and associates.
“This atmosphere here is awesome against a really good team,” Riley stated. “I believe that may present some further adrenaline. But, you realize, Max is particular.”
Fried’s profitable return occurred only a day after Kyle Wright conjured reminiscences of final yr, when he was MLB’s solely 20-game winner. Wright started the season on the injured record and didn’t make his season debut till final week.
The Braves have managed to win 13 of their first 17 video games, even though Monday marked the primary time this yr their rotation included Fried, Wright and Spencer Strider, who like his two teammates has the potential to develop into a Cy Young candidate.
“It makes us feel good about where we are,” Snitker stated.
