Braves: The Case for Max Fried to Start the All-Star Game
Max Fried continues to show why he’s one of the best starting pitchers in baseball leading the Atlanta Braves rotation, and he deserves to start in the All-Star Game.
The Atlanta Braves know how important Max Fried has been to the team in recent years and how he has turned himself into a true ace. Now it’s time for the entire baseball world to know by having him start the All-Star Game.
Since the start of the 2022 season, Max Fried has a 2.73 ERA across 56 starts with 30 wins. The Braves are 41-14 in games he’s started over that stretch.
Wins may not be a glorified stat anymore, but that doesn’t change the fact that when Max Fried takes the mound his team usually wins.
It’s crazy to think he’s never made an All-Star team. That will certainly change this year. The only question is whether or not he’ll start that game.
Braves: Why Max Fried Should Start the All-Star Game
Max Fried is scheduled to make two more starts before the All-Star break. One next Monday against Max Scherzer and the New York Mets, and then again on Saturday, July 16 against the Washington Nationals.
That would give him two days of rest before the All-Star Game, which should be enough for him to go out and throw what would normally be a bullpen inning.
Looking at the competition to start that game, you could make an argument for others. Sandy Alcantara is probably the most deserving based on his first half.
The Marlins staff ace is the only NL pitcher with a higher WAR on FanGraphs than Max Fried.
But here is the real argument for the Braves lefty to start the game — it’s partly a celebration of the last season and who better to celebrate that than the guy who started the World Series-clinching game.?
Not only has Fried earned the right to start the All-Star Game with his performance on the field over the last several seasons, but he dominated the Houston Astros in Game 6 of the World Series to end the 2021 season.
Also, it helps that his manager, Brian Snitker, will be managing the NL team after winning said World Series.
dark. Next. Highs and Lows from First 81 Games
A lot could depend on how the next couple of starts go for Fried and Alcantara, but Max Fried certainly has a strong case to start the All-Star Game.