The Atlanta Braves did not meet expectations in 2024 and are faced with many key players hitting free agency. They could lose one of their starters to the Houston Astros. The Astros lost Yusei Kikuchi when he signed a three-year, $63 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels.
While listing replacements for Kikuchi, FanSided's Christopher Kline named Braves starter Max Fried as a potential option for the Astros.
"Max Fried appears destined for a breakup with the Atlanta Braves, which could lead him as far as the American League," wrote Kline. "There has been a lot of buzz around the Dodgers or Angels, his hometown teams, but the Kikiuchi contract probably takes the Angels out of the race. Meanwhile, much has been made this winter of the Dodgers' reluctance to spend top dollar in free agency. With the exception of last offseason's pursuit of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Dodgers tend to make their biggest splashes on the trade front."
Spotrac projects Fried to sign a six-year, $136 million deal this winter. The Braves may not want to pay that while they look to prioritize bringing in a star shortstop. Fried is a two-time All-Star and had a 3.25 ERA last season.
"So, the door is open for a Houston team with a history of spending aggressively in free agency. Fried would balance the rotation as another left-handed ace behind Framber Valdez," wrote Kline. "Coming off his second All-Star campaign in Atlanta, Fried has developed a reputation for reliability in the regular season."
Fried has spent his entire big league career with the Braves and has been a staple of their recent success. However, his contract projection may be too much for the Braves to meet.
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