The San Francisco Giants are barely hanging around in the National League Wild Card race. At 66-66, they are 5 1/2 games back of the third and final spot.
San Francisco may ultimately lose left-hander and two-time Cy Young Blake Snell in free agency, which will leave a big hole in their starting rotation.
Fortunately though, there are other options they could look to replace him with should he walk.
"The Braves have tried to extend Max Fried to a long-term contract for some time, but the two sides can't seem to find common ground and it appears he'll make it to free agency," Jim Bowden wrote in The Athletic. "The two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove Award winner will be one of the most sought-after starters on the market."
Fried's market will certainly be competitive, but in the event that the Giants lose Snell, they should be one of the teams in on the Braves left-hander. The 30-year-old is 8-7 in 23 starts with a 3.50 ERA this season. He has also logged 133 2/3 innings, punched out 126 batters, and posted a 1.20 WHIP.
Fried is also a California native, and though he grew up in Southern California, he would still be experiencing a homecoming of sorts if he were to sign with the Giants, albeit on the other side of the state.
A top two in the rotation of Fried and Logan Webb also would not be fun for opposing teams to face if the Giants got to the postseason in 2025.
For now, it will be interesting to see how Fried's market develops and if the Giants will ultimately be one of the teams that shows interest in him.
More MLB: Braves could target Giants ace in free agency to replace Max Fried
