Fried's velo drops, 'pen struggles vs. Nats

ATLANTA -- Max Fried created some concern with a drop in velocity during the Braves’ 10-4 loss against the Nationals on Saturday night at Truist Park.

“I’m not too worried about it,” Fried said. “I think it’s just a little mix of everything going on just kind of catching up to me. But I’m feeling good.”

Quite frankly, the fact Fried has spent a month carrying the Braves’ fractured rotation is hurting the club in multiple ways. The left-hander, who is a strong National League Cy Young Award contender, is showing signs of fatigue, and the desire to protect a heavily worked bullpen has led manager Brian Snitker to stay away from his top relievers in a couple of winnable games the past two nights.

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After Fried exited, the Nationals tallied a pair of sixth-inning runs against Tyler Matzek. Still, the Braves trailed by just one run in the ninth, when Snitker handed the ball to Chad Sobotka, who has been recalled six times and used just four times this year.

Sobotka allowed five runs while recording just two outs, one day after Patrick Weigel made his big league debut with Atlanta trailing by just one run in the seventh and final inning of Game 2’s loss in Friday’s doubleheader vs. Washington. Weigel gave up two runs in two-thirds of an inning, and the Braves couldn't come back.

With three weeks left in the season and his team owning a two-game lead in the National League East race, Snitker has decided to protect some of his top relievers by not using them while the team is trailing.

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Over the next few weeks, this mindset may change. But at some point the Braves were going to have to deal with the negative effects of getting at least five innings from their starters in just 38.5 percent of their games (15 of 39) thus far.

“We’ve still got a big chunk of games left,” Snitker said. “We just have to get through a little rough spot. Once we do, we’ll be fine and ready for another good run.”

Adding to the importance of protecting Fried is the fact he has accounted for nine of those 15 occasions a Braves starter has lasted at least five innings. He has carried the rotation since Mike Soroka was lost to a torn right Achilles tendon in early August.

But he just wasn’t himself, as he allowed the Nationals a season-high three runs over just five innings. The more alarming development was the fact his four-seam fastball averaged 90.9 mph, down more than just a tick from his 93.4 mph season average.

“He says he’s fine,” Snitker said. “So I’m going to trust him. It was one of those days again. Every five days, he’s taken the ball. We might try to get him an extra day of rest at some point.”

Fried issued a pair of walks and hit a batter before recording his second out in the Nationals’ two-run first inning. Washington used two hits and Johan Camargo’s errant flip on a potential double play to tally another run in the fifth.

So Fried continued to successfully battle despite not having his best stuff. His fastball averaged 92.6 mph in the first inning and touched 95 mph. But that four-seamer averaged between 90.6-90.9 mph and did not exceed 92.9 mph over his final three innings.

“It’s hard to pinpoint right now,” Fried said. “But I’m feeling good and I’m still going out there and competing. So as long as I’m still going out there and getting outs to keep us in the game, that’s all I’m really asking for.”

Fried entered this game with the NL’s second-best ERA (1.60). His 1.7 fWAR matched the mark produced by two-time reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom.

This still has the potential to be a special season for him. But it might be time for the Braves to give him an extra day before his next start to recharge both physically and mentally.