The Atlanta Braves are fighting for a chance to earn a spot in the playoffs right now.
Atlanta has just six games left in the regular season and is two games out of a National League Wild Card spot at the moment. The Braves need to get red-hot over the next few days if they want to make a surprising run to the playoffs.
Once the season ends -- whether in the postseason or not -- the Braves will have some very tough decisions to make. The biggest one certainly will be the future of ace Max Fried. He has spent his entire eight-year big league career in Atlanta but is due to hit free agency and will be one of the most popular hurlers on the market.
With just a few days remaining in the regular season, Fried's days in Atlanta could be numbered. He may have just one more start with the team as they fight for a playoff spot, and it could be his last with the team, as pointed out by The Athletic's David O'Brien.
"The Braves haven’t signed Fried to an extension, and he would be a free agent the week after the World Series," O'Brien said. "Atlanta remained two games behind the New York Mets for the third and final NL wild-card spot, with only seven games left in the season, including a three-game series against the Mets that starts Tuesday in Atlanta. Fried would be on regular rest in the series finale Thursday against the Mets, which could be his last start for the Braves if they don’t advance to the postseason."
Fried has been everything the Braves could've hoped over the last eight years. He racked up two All-Star nods, three Gold Glove Awards, and won a World Series with Atlanta. If he does end up leaving, he certainly did have a great career with the Braves.
More MLB: Braves superstar hinted to possibly land with surprise NL rival
