Atlanta Braves ace Max Fried suffers a historic loss in the NL Wild Card Series

The Atlanta Braves were eliminated from the MLB postseason on Wednesday night and Max Fried may have made his final appearance for the club.

The 30-year-old All-Star didn't exactly have a good figure either.

Fried ran into trouble early in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres, giving up a leadoff single to Luis Arraez. Fernando Tatis Jr. was next and also received credit for a single after sending a line drive right off Fried's hip.

After a brief injury delay, Fried stayed in the game and fought his way out of a bases-loaded jam without allowing any damage. He wouldn't be so lucky in the second.

Fried retired the first two batters of the frame but then gave up six straight hits. This two-out rally earned the Padres a place in the history books while also making it a 5-1 ball game.

Manager Brian Snitker cut Fried off shortly after that collapse and his night was cut short. He allowed five earned runs and eight hits in just 2.0 innings.

As Underdog Fantasy's Justin Havens noted, Fried is the first Braves pitcher to allow at least five runs and eight hits in a playoff start of 2.0 or fewer innings since Kevin Milwood in Game 2 of the 1999 World Series.

However, Milwood faced three batters in the third inning that night, and one of the five runs he allowed was unearned. Fried is the only pitcher in franchise history to allow more than five earned runs and more than eight hits in the first two innings of a postseason game.

According to StatMuse, there have been 25 instances of a Braves starting pitcher giving up at least five earned runs in a playoff start. Atlanta is now 3-22 in those games after losing 5-4 on Wednesday.

Fried went 11-10 with a 3.25 ERA, 1.164 WHIP and 3.5 WAR in 29 starts in 2024, leading the league with two complete games and a shutout. The three-time Gold Glove winner and 2022 NL Cy Young runner-up also made his second All-Star appearance this summer.

The left-hander played on an expiring contract this season, so he is expected to move on a free transfer in a month. By all accounts, Fried is likely to be one of the most sought-after starting players on the market, and it remains to be seen whether the Braves can keep him.

While Fried and the Braves set their sights on the offseason, the Padres will move on to the NLDS and face the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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