The Atlanta Braves have a clear priority this winter: to re-sign starting pitcher. However, this will be more challenging than many people think, as there are several teams competing for Fried, including the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and New York Mets. If the Braves want to keep him, they’ll need to spend big. Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly is certain the gifted player is unlikely to return to Atlanta. In fact, Kelly recently listed Baltimore Orioles, not the Braves, as the best destination for the left-handed ace this offseason.
“The Orioles might not ultimately spend quite enough to retain (Corbin) Burnes, but they still need a top-of-the-rotation arm as they try to win a World Series during the Gunnar Henderson-Adley Rutschman Era. Max Fried would give the Baltimore Orioles an ace, adding to a rotation that includes Grayson Rodriguez and Zach Eflin,” Kelly wrote. “The six-year, $168 million deal we’ve projected would be less than what it will take to sign Burnes, but it’s still a major commitment the O’s can spin as a sign they’ve moved beyond the frugalness of the Angelos Era.”
In my opinion, this would be a surprising move. If the Orioles are willing to offer $168 million over six years for Fried, they would probably be open to offering $210 million over seven years to re-sign Corbin Burnes. Baltimore already traded several top prospects for Burnes, and if they miss out on re-signing him, it will likely be because they’re unwilling to spend over $150 million on a deal. Given this, I wouldn’t expect them to pursue Fried if they’re out on Burnes.
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