Atlanta's Max Fried Is Nearing a July Return

The All-Star Break has arrived, which means we've reached the halfway point of the 2023 MLB season. That seems like a good time to check in on some injured stars -- including Atlanta Braves pitcher Max Fried.

Injury Update

Max Fried (forearm) made his first rehab start on Sunday as he continues to recover from a left forearm strain.

He had previously thrown 30 pitches in a live batting practice session earlier in the week, so it was encouraging to see his workload expanded.

Fried's been on the shelf since early May as he was placed on the 15-day IL on May 9th. He was initially expected to be out for two months. However, that estimate proved too ambitious after he didn't throw from a mound until the middle of June.

After throwing in a number of bullpen sessions and live batting practices, Fried made his first rehab start in Triple-A Gwinnett. He is expected to make at least two more starts before rejoining the team at the end of July, barring any setbacks.

Fried's Rest-of-Season Outlook

This wasn't the first IL stint of the season for Fried. He injured his hamstring on Opening Day and spent 2.5 weeks on the shelf. He lasted slightly more than three weeks before his forearm injury.

Between his two trips to the injured list, Fried hasn't pitched much this season. Through five starts, Fried owns a 2-1 record to go along with a 2.08 ERA and 1.08 WHIP.

It's a small sample size, sure, but Fried's underlying numbers actually suggested some improvement on his career year in 2022. His strikeout rate was up to 24.3% and had allowed a career-best 19.4% hard contact rate.

With Atlanta already 8.5 games up in the NL East, they'll likely ease Fried back into things with aspirations for another deep postseason run. That said, if his earlier starts are any indication, Fried should be a top-end starter again sooner rather than later -- giving Atlanta a second ace to pair with Spencer Strider

Atlanta Braves Betting Odds

Atlanta may be missing last year's Cy Young runner-up, but you wouldn't know it by their 2023 performance. The Braves have dominated their division season and are overwhelming favorites, according to the NL East odds on FanDuel Sportsbook.

Atlanta is also the favorite to win the World Series at +340.

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