Max Fried ready for game one start against the Cincinnati Reds
Max Fried probably didn’t believe he would be starting a game one of a playoff series for the Atlanta Braves. The injuries to Mike Soroka and Cole Hamels necessitated Fried’s ascension to the top of the rotation.
The injuries Fried has dealt with – to his back and then to his ankle – are not issues going into the game one start with the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday. Even throwing only six innings in the last three-plus weeks, Fried says he’s thrown every day and feels good to go.
The Braves will depend on Fried to not only be their first starter, but to be the ace. There is a difference. Fried will be pushed to the limit as Atlanta’s most dependable starting pitcher.
In his 11 starts this season, Fried was a perfect 7-0 with a 2.25 earned run average. He allowed 14 earned runs on 42 his in 56.0 innings pitched, with 19 walks and 50 strikeouts.
Wednesday will be the first time Fried has started in the playoffs. He pitched in four games in each of the last two playoff series. Against the Dodgers in 2018, Fried allowed one run in 2.1 innings. Then last year, Fried allowed four runs in 4.0 innings against the Cardinals, with all of those runs coming in the first inning of game five.
The only hitter on the current Reds roster who has had any success against Fried is Joey Votto, who was 1-3 with a walk against him. Fried beat the Reds on August 1, 2019 as he allowed one run on four hits in six innings, with no walks and four strikeouts.
The Braves would take that same pitching line Wednesday in game one of the series.
For more coverage of the Braves, listen after Game One to The Bill Shanks Show on SportsRadio 93-1 WXKO TheSuperStations.com. Follow Bill on Twitter @billshanks and you can email him at TheBillShanksShow@yahoo.com.