A new report from a notable MLB insider suggests if the Atlanta Braves want to keep Max Fried this winter they might have to outbid a pair of World Series contenders in free agency.
While this has not been the season the Braves expected, the fact that they are still in contention for a playoff spot in the final week of the season is worth respecting. Atlanta lost their top two players — Ronald Acuna Jr. and Spencer Strider — early in the season but they have stayed in playoff contention.
They have been able to do that due to the outstanding play of Marcell Ozuna, Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, and Max Fried. However, Fried’s notable run in Atlanta could end after this season because the two-time All-Star will hit the free-agent market this winter.
After Corbin Burnes and Blake Snell, he is the next-best starting pitcher on the upcoming market. That means Atlanta will have a lot of competition to hold on him, and it was a topic of conversation during a live stream on Bleacher Report with MLB insider Jon Heyman.
- Max Fried stats (2024): 10-10 Record, 3.42 ERA, 1.195 WHIP, 157 SO, 55 BB, 165.2 IP
Related: Atlanta Braves game today – Get time and channel for the next Braves game
Jon Heyman believes Atlanta Braves could lose Max Fried to Dodgers or Orioles this winter
During the stream, Heyman revealed two teams that could be serious contenders for the 30-year-old. The first was the Los Angeles Dodgers. Due to Fried being a Santa Monica, California native and the franchise always being in contention for notable free agents.
The other team is a title contender from the East Coast. The MLB insider is a believer in the recent chatter that if the Baltimore Orioles lose Corbin Burnes in MLB free agency this winter, Fried would be a likely fallback option for the franchise to keep them in their current position as a contender.
The Dodgers are always willing to spend big in free agency — as we saw last winter. However, the Orioles could also become a power player in the first offseason for billionaire new owner David Rubenstein. Both could be tough for Atlanta to outbid this winter.
Related: Where do the Atlanta Braves land in our latest MLB power rankings?