Former Braves Ace Stellar in Opening Postseason Game in Bronx

The former Atlanta Braves starting pitcher got his job done in a losing effort

Max Fried put on a strong showing in the losing effort | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

For the first time, former Atlanta Braves pitcher Max Fried took his talents to a postseason game in the Bronx. He gave the Yankees 6 1/3 shutout innings against the Red Sox, while striking out six. 

Unfortunately for him, the bullpen couldn’t follow him up, and the offense couldn’t back him. The Red Sox took the Wild Card series opener 3-1. 

It was Fried’s postseason debut for the Yankees. He signed with them last offseason to an eight-year, $218 million contract to deliver in these moments, and he did exactly that. If the Yankees can rally and take the series, Fried would get another appearance in the American League Division Series.  

If he gets to take the mound again, it would be the first time since the 2021 postseason that he has made multiple starts in a single postseason. He gave the Braves five starts that year and also gave them four the year before that. 

Braves fans are likely happy to see him succeeding, but would have liked to have seen a performance like that more often in his previous uniform. While he had his moments, most notably a strong performance in Game 6 of the 2021 World Series, Fried had a career 5.10 ERA heading into Tuesday’s game. 

In his final appearance as a Braves pitcher in last year’s postseason, he allowed five earned runs on eight hits in just two innings pitched during an elimination game out in San Diego against the Padres. His outing proved to be the difference maker in the game. 

The Braves lost the game 5-4, and they were swept by the Padres in two games in the National League Wild Card series. This last appearance by Fried would also mark the final postseason game played by the Braves during their seven-year streak of reaching October. 

Fried pitched for the Braves from 2017 to 2024. In those eight seasons with the team, he had a 3.07 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP and 863 strikeouts. He made two of his three All-Star Games with Atlanta, won three Gold Gloves and finished as high as second place in the National League Cy Young Award voting back in 2022

While he was named an All-Star this season, he didn’t get the chance to pitch in front of his old home crowd in Atlanta. He sustained a blister right before the festivities, and it also sidelined him for the following series the Yankees played at Truist Park.