The San Diego Padres have been surging as of late. They have won seven of their last 10 games and sit just three games back of first place in the National League West.
However, they could get even better next season with a big addition or two. Even with a starting rotation that includes Dylan Cease, Joe Musgrove, and Yu Darvish, they may be in the market for a major upgrade.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com has linked the Frias to Atlanta Braves ace Max Fried, who has not signed a long-term extension with the Braves, unlike several of his teammates.
Fried would be a major addition to the Padres rotation if they choose to pursue and sign him this coming offseason. He's 7-7 in 21 starts this year with a 3.62 ERA.
The 31-year-old left-hander would fit quite nicely with the Padres as they try to build a World Series contender for years to come. The team could certainly use more starting pitching, even with an already powerful rotation.
This would give them a chance to be considered favorites to win the NL West for the first time since 2006. San Diego had a deep October run in 2022, but they could be in position to make even more deep runs in the postseason if they add Fried to the mix next year.
We'll see if San Diego decides to target the veteran lefty in free agency this coming winter.
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