The Atlanta Braves recently swung a 3-team trade to acquire C Sean Murphy from the Oakland Athletics. The deal is one that will help Atlanta's pitching staff given Murphy's impressive defensive prowess behind the plate. However, a new report claims that the Braves could consider trading ace Max Fried, per Jim Callis of MLB.com.
“With the Braves' payroll climbing — who knows if they will sign Murphy to an extension — I'm hearing some Max Fried rumors on the block,” Callis said. “They may not be able to sign him long-term. Don't be shocked if we see a Max Fried trade this offseason.”
The Braves have a number of young players under contract. As a result, their payroll has begun to climb. The thought process behind trading Max Fried would be to maximize his current value if they are unable to reach an agreement on an extension. Otherwise, the All-Star left-hander could leave in free agency following the 2024 campaign. But with two years of team control remaining, the Braves would be able to acquire an impressive haul for Fried this offseason.
It should be noted that nothing is inevitable at this moment. The Braves would need to receive an eye-opening offer to consider pulling the trigger on a Max Fried trade. Fried, who's only 28-years old, has emerged as one of MLB's best pitchers over the past few seasons. He earned Cy Young consideration in 2022 after posting a sparkling 2.48 ERA and 1.01 WHIP through 185.1 innings pitched for Atlanta.
The Braves' odds of trading Fried this offseason are slim. But as Callis said, we shouldn't be “shocked” if a deal comes to fruition.
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