The Braves have announced that left-hander Max Fried has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to July 18, due to left forearm neuritis. In a corresponding move, lefty Dylan Dodd has been recalled.
The severity and timing of Fried’s injury remain unclear. His last appearance was on July 11 against the Diamondbacks, where he pitched six innings. Fried was also selected for the National League All-Star team and pitched a scoreless inning in that game. There had been no prior public indications of any issues before he was placed on the IL.
This development is significant for the Braves. They started the season with a rotation of Fried, Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton, Chris Sale, and Reynaldo López. Strider underwent UCL surgery in April and is out for the year.
With Fried out, the Braves’ rotation will rely on Morton, Sale, and López. While all three are having strong seasons, there are concerns: Sale has been injury-prone in recent years, López was moved from the bullpen to the rotation this season, and Morton’s strikeout rate has been declining for the past three years.
The Braves are currently 54-43, 7.5 games behind the Phillies in the East division but holding the top Wild Card spot. They were likely already considering upgrades before the July 30 deadline, but Fried’s injury could accelerate their search for pitching help. Potential trade targets include Jack Flaherty, Yusei Kikuchi, and Garrett Crochet, among others.
In the meantime, the Braves will need to manage their rotation with Morton, Sale, and López. They have no off-days before the deadline and recently played a double-header against the Cardinals. Options like Hurston Waldrep and Huascar Ynoa are currently unavailable due to injuries. Spencer Schwellenbach has started his career well, and Ian Anderson, Bryce Elder, AJ Smith-Shawver, Allan Winans, Darius Vines, and Dodd are all potential contributors.
Fried, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, was having a strong year before this injury, with a 3.08 ERA over 108 innings in 18 starts. His performance could impact his free-agent prospects, as he was ranked fifth on MLBTR’s recent Free Agent Power Rankings, the #2 pitcher behind Corbin Burnes. A quick return and continued strong performance could maintain his earning potential, but a prolonged absence could affect it.