Braves announce costly injury to left-handed pitcher Max Fried

The Atlanta Braves are dealing with another injury.

The team announced on its official X account (formerly Twitter) that it had placed left-hander Max Fried on injured reserve on Sunday. Fried’s placement on injured reserve will be retroactive to July 18.

Fried has left forearm neuritis, which is inflammation of a nerve in his forearm. The most common nerve injury in a pitcher’s forearm is the ulnar nerve, but the Braves have not said which nerve in Fried’s forearm is causing the problem.

“The Braves today recalled left-handed pitcher Dylan Dodd from Atlanta and placed left-handed pitcher Max Friend on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to July 18, with left forearm neuritis,” the Braves’ official account on X wrote.

THE #Braves Today, left-handed pitcher Dylan Dodd was recalled to Atlanta and left-handed pitcher Max Fried was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to July 18, with left forearm neuritis.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 21, 2024

David O’Brien of The Athletic also called Fried’s injury “left forearm neuritis,” but added that he would provide updates.

“Big news: The Braves have placed Max Fried on the 15-day injured list with left forearm neuritis,” O’Brien wrote.

IMPORTANT NEWS: The #Braves placed Max Fried on the 15-day injured list with left forearm neuritis, retroactive to July 18, and recalled left-handed pitcher Dylan Dodd to Atlanta.

More soon

– David O’Brien (@DOBrienATL) July 21, 2024

An injury to one of the team’s top three starting pitchers was one of the last things the Braves needed to get the second half of the season underway. The Braves’ offense has been inconsistent this season, but Atlanta holds the National League’s first wild-card spot because of its starting pitchers.

Starting pitchers Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez and Fried were all selected to the National League All-Star team. Together, they helped the Braves post the best earned run average in MLB this season, despite losing star pitcher Spencer Strider in the first week of the season.

Fried is 7-5 with a 3.08 ERA and 1.157 WHIP over 18 starts in 2024. He leads the National League with 2 complete games and 1 shutout.

He is second in innings pitched and third in strikeouts for the Braves.

Fried allowed 1 run on 5 hits and 3 walks with 7 strikeouts in 6 innings in his last start on July 11. But he suffered the loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, as the Braves lost 1-0.

The last time Fried took the mound in a game was in the MLB All-Star Game on July 16. He faced four batters, allowing just one walk in one inning.

With Fried sidelined, the Braves could consider acquiring another starting pitcher before the MLB trade deadline on July 30.