Max Fried (SP, ATL) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 6% of leagues

ANALYSIS: Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried was on fire this weekend, setting down 11 Cardinals via strikeout over 6 2/3 innings and now has 24 punchouts over 17 2/3 big-league frames this year. Another young Braves pitcher with strikeout potential? Sign us up!

With Fried, it is easy to look too hard into the 4.29 ERA/1.37 WHIP from Triple-A in ‘18, but he holds a cleaner 3.23 FIP and 3.46 xFIP underneath the hood. Furthermore, Fried has basically struck out a batter per inning in the minor leagues, even though he has walk issues (11.2% walk rate in Double-A last season).

With a slot in Atlanta’s rotation that gets to face the weaker teams within the NL East, Fried is worth speculating on in almost all 12-team formats. Even if Mike Soroka is back back with the Braves soon (Brandon McCarthy as well), Fried's top prospect pedigree may give him more of an opportunity.