Fried Gets Back on Track When the Braves Need Him Most.

Starting pitcher Max Fried was excellent even though the Atlanta Braves lost 3-2 to the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.
The Atlanta Braves let a 2-0 lead slip and lost 3-2 to the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night.

There was a silver lining despite the defeat. Max Fried, the starting pitcher, has returned to his All-Star form. He gave up four hits, one walk, and four strikeouts in seven innings of two-run ball. Sixty-seven percent of his 91 pitches that evening were strikes.

“It felt very much like me. On both sides of the plate, I was in control of the ball. After the game on Wednesday, Fried remarked, “It was nice to get back under myself.”

Though he was happy with his outing, he wasn’t quite content.

“This is the year’s results period. I wish I could have held onto that lead and won tonight. Since my ideal scenario would be for us to win and I to grab the ball.

Fried’s sense of responsibility is commendable, but the Braves offense did not provide him with enough run support. Ultimately, the Phillies managed to leave only one runner on base and went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position. For them, the opportunities were scarce. But the Braves left nine men on base and went 0-for-6 when they had runners in scoring position.

A team used what resources they could summon. Even with additional opportunities, the other team was unable to complete the task. However, they have a good chance of winning if Fried continues to pitch like this. When he does, the Braves are, after all, 13-9.

Fried is confident that his side can close out games and record a victory.

The Braves are clinging to a postseason spot with the Mets still right on their tails; their lead over the Mets was shaved to 1.5 games after New York won Wednesday. They have a key series against them at the end of September, but they still have to be in the hunt a month from now. Getting some big wins against the Phillies and taking advantage of the favorable schedule would do the trick. “We’re playing good, hard baseball. We’re in a lot of games right now. I feel like if we keep playing like this, things are going to be going our way.”

They have the rotation to get them to the playoffs and then put everyone on notice with a run in October.

If Fried stays in top form, he, Sale and Lopez could be a three-headed monster down the stretch. Three starters are all you need for a postseason series too.

That’s a win from each starter in a best-of-five series. In a best-of-seven, you have them for the early games to go up in the series and have them rested for a game six or seven when backs are against the wall or to finish the series off and clinch.