Braves' Max Fried finally looks like himself in start against Marlins

Quality of opponent aside, Fried was fantastic for the Braves against the Marlins on Friday night, only giving up one run in 6 1/3 innings on the mound. Fried struck out four Miami batters, only walking one and giving up just four hits in his third start of the season. 

After not even making it out of the first inning in Philadelphia on March 30th, Braves fans were even more shocked when Fried was shelled for seven runs in 4 1/3 innings against Arizona a week later. Six days after one of the worst appearances of his career, Fried looked like his old self in Miami, in what could turn into a string of solid starts in his first healthy season since 2022. 

Fried's next start is slated to come in Wednesday's series finale against the Houston Astros, who were the victims of Fried's greatest major league performance, a six-inning shutout in Game Six of the 2021 World Series, which Atlanta won to take home their first title since 1995. 

Wednesday's game won't quite have title implications, but if Fried can string together a second consecutive good performance, Braves fans' fears of his regression will be quelled. Fried's next start is slated for a first pitch of 2:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 17, while the Braves take the field again on Saturday against the scuffling Marlins, with first pitch for that NL East matchup set for 4:10 p.m. ET.