The Atlanta Braves aren't used to this.
It's Oct. 5, and the Braves' playoff run is already over. After being eliminated by the San Diego Padres in the Wild Card round, their offseason started earlier than normal, and as an added insult, they have to watch two division rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets, compete in the next round.
Now, the cruel reality of winter sets in, and the Braves are faced with a list of crucial decisions to make. And perhaps the single most important decision they are mulling is whether or not to pursue their homegrown ace in free agency.
Max Fried, who is becoming a free agent on the heels of his second All-Star campaign, is set to make a windfall of cash. Spotrac recently projected him to land a seven-year, $149 million deal, and that number could grow if multiple teams get involved in a bidding war.
That seems to be the worst-case scenario for the Braves. David O'Brien of the Athletic mentioned recently that the Braves' recent successes in pitching development will likely keep them from aggressively pursuing Fried if his price tag gets too high.
"(Sale will) be back to lead the rotation in 2025 along with Spencer Schwellenbach, a revelation as a rookie; López, who’s proven he’s too valuable as a starter to move back to the bullpen, and Strider, who should return early in the season, though no timetable has been shared," O'Brien said.
"Having that quartet returning is why the Braves are less likely to get in a bidding war to retain the services of free agent Max Fried, who’s about to get a much-deserved huge contract from someone."
When it comes to an arm like Fried, a bidding war seems unavoidable. He's a two-time All-Star, owns a 73-36 career record, and is still just 30 years old. With the amount of teams looking for top-of-the-rotation starters at an all-time high, O'Brien's comments don't bode well for a potential reunion.
It's not necessarily the end of the world for the Braves to lose Fried from a baseball standpoint. They have plenty of talented arms in their stable to help replace him. But when a pitcher has been on a big-league club for eight years, it's never easy to say goodbye.
No one is guaranteeing that there will be a goodbye for Fried and the Braves just yet. But early indications aren't looking so good.
More MLB: Braves urged to trade All-Star slugger in potential offseason stunner
