Most Atlanta Braves fans anticipated Max Fried’s departure in free agency this offseason, but that didn’t make it any easier to swallow. While the Braves have excelled at securing their young core with long-term extensions, they’ve also shown a willingness to hold firm when contract demands become too steep. The departures of Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson in recent years serve as clear examples of this approach.
Fried was a difficult decision for the Braves. On one hand, he excelled over eight seasons in Atlanta, and finding a true replacement for a pitcher consistently in the Cy Young conversation is no easy task. On the other hand, at 31 years old with a history of injury concerns, committing to a long-term deal carried significant risk.
In the end, Fried secured an eight-year, $218 million deal with the Yankees—good for him. Braves fans should wish him the best (except when facing Atlanta), as most people would take that kind of opportunity in a heartbeat. That said, replacing Fried would be much easier if Spencer Schwellenbach can develop as many expect him to, potentially stepping up as a key piece in the rotation.
Despite the pain, the Braves letting Max Fried go could be for the best when it comes to Spencer Schwellenbach’s future
Anyone claiming the Braves are better off without Fried in 2025 is kidding themselves. There are valid baseball and financial arguments against giving a long-term deal to a pitcher in his 30s, but in the short term, Fried is still likely to be very good—if not outright dominant—this season. There’s no reason to expect otherwise.
However, that simply wasn’t an option. The Braves’ front office has consistently avoided taking on risks like Fried’s contract, and with Schwellenbach coming off a strong rookie season, they may have determined that the rotation’s overall production wouldn’t take a significant hit. In fact, there’s even a chance for improvement—if Schwellenbach can generate more swings and misses than the current version of Fried, he could bring a new dimension to Atlanta’s staff.
On the other hand, if the Braves had matched the Yankees’ offer for Fried, it would have put them in a tough financial spot moving forward. That kind of commitment likely would have limited their flexibility next offseason, when they might need to replace their closer and/or shortstop. It also would have made future extensions—potentially for Raisel Iglesias, Marcell Ozuna, and even Schwellenbach—much more complicated.
In baseball, you can’t keep everyone, and tough decisions have to be made. While it might seem unfair or even like negligence at times, roster turnover is inevitable, and financial resources are limited. However, if Schwellenbach can build on his strong 2024 season—where he emerged as one of the game’s top young pitchers—the loss of Fried may not sting as much as it does right now.
