Max Fried is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, born on January 18, 1994, in Santa Monica, California.
Drafted seventh overall by the San Diego Padres in 2012, he made his MLB debut in 2017. Fried has achieved significant accolades, including multiple Gold Glove Awards and being named an All-Star in 2022 and 2024.
Fried played a pivotal role in the Braves’ 2021 World Series victory, pitching six shutout innings in the final game.
He boasts a career win-loss percentage of .705, the best among Braves pitchers.
Siblings
Max has a younger brother named Jake Fried, who shares his passion for baseball and has pursued a career in the sport.
Jake attended the University of Arizona, where he played college baseball.
The Fried family has been supportive of both brothers’ athletic endeavors.
Career
Fried attended Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, where he gained national attention as a top high school pitcher, recognized for his strong fastball and impressive strikeout ability.
Drafted seventh overall by the San Diego Padres in the 2012 MLB Draft, Fried signed with the team and began his professional career in their minor league system.
Early in his career, Fried faced significant challenges, including undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2014, which sidelined him for much of the 2015 season.
This surgery is common among pitchers and involves reconstructing the ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow.
In December 2014, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves as part of a deal that sent Justin Upton to the Padres.
After working his way through the minors, Fried made his MLB debut on August 8, 2017.
Initially, he had some ups and downs as he adjusted to Major League hitting.
However, he had a breakout year in 2019, finishing with a 17-6 record and a 4.02 ERA, becoming a key part of the Braves’ rotation.
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Fried continued to improve in the 2020 season, posting a 3.04 ERA over 56 innings and earning a Gold Glove Award for his defensive skills on the mound.
He played a crucial role in the Braves’ success during the 2021 postseason.
In Game 6 of the World Series against the Houston Astros, he pitched six shutout innings, helping secure Atlanta’s first championship since 1995.
His performance during this critical series solidified his status as an elite pitcher.
In recent years, Fried has been selected as an All-Star in both 2022 and 2024, showcasing his standing among the top pitchers in baseball.
In addition to his Gold Glove Awards, he received a Silver Slugger Award in 2021 for his hitting performance as a pitcher.
Known for his effective fastball, curveball, and changeup, Fried’s ability to mix pitches and command them effectively has made him a formidable opponent for hitters.
Accolades
Fried has received numerous accolades throughout his career as a professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves.
He is a two-time All-Star, having been selected in 2022 and 2024.
Fried played a pivotal role in the Braves’ 2021 World Series victory, pitching six shutout innings in Game 6, which helped secure the championship.
In terms of individual awards, he won the National League Gold Glove Award for pitchers in 2020, 2021, and 2022, making him the first Braves pitcher since Greg Maddux to achieve this feat.
Fried also received the Silver Slugger Award in 2021, becoming only the third pitcher in MLB history to win both the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger in the same season.
Additionally, he was named to the All-MLB First Team in 2020 and the All-MLB Second Team in 2021 and 2022.
Fried’s consistent performance has established him as one of the top pitchers in Major League Baseball.
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