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Atlanta Braves' ace Max Fried took another step towards returning to the Braves' roster in a Triple-A rehab start Tuesday night. Fried has been sidelined with a forearm strain since May and hopes to join the Braves next week.
Fried wasn't quite up to his usual standard during the rehab start. In 3.1 innings, the left-hander allowed six hits, including two homers, and three earned runs. He did throw a total of 65 pitches, which is a significant step up from his two previous rehab starts — a promising sign.
The Braves are taking a cautious approach with Fried's recovery. Fried will likely make one more rehab start before Atlanta approves his reactivation to the Major League roster, according to Mark Bowman. An additional rehab start will give Fried the opportunity to build up his pitch count further and fine-tune his command and mechanics.
With the Braves storming towards the playoffs, having Fried back in top form will be crucial for the team's success down the stretch. The offense, led by NL MVP favorite Ronald Acuña Jr. has been phenomenal. Atlanta is the clear-cut best team in the league at this point in the season, but they need their ace back to push for another championship.
The Braves eagerly await Fried's return, as he is a vital part of Atlanta's pitching staff. He threw six shutout innings to earn the win and close out the Houston Astros in Game 6 of the 2021 World Series. He finished second in NL Cy Young voting in 2022 and made his first All-Star selection.
Prior to his injury in 20223, Fried was 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA in five starts. He also has an impressive career ERA of 3.05.
