Atlanta Braves News: Max Fried pitched an intrasquad game in front of a live crowd yesterday. The Braves needed Fried to test the blister after hitting the IL on September 22nd.

Braves News: Max Fried’s Performance in Intrasquad Game

Max Fried pitched five innings allowing two earned runs on back-to-back solo shots by Sean Murphy and Kevin Pillar. He walked three and gave up six hits. Fried ended with 76 pittches (44 strikes) in the books.

Max Fried Set to Start Game 2 of NLDS

The Braves have not officially announced Fried as the Game 2 starter but it appears the lefty is lined up to go after Strider. Game 2 is scheduled for Monday. Fried just pitched on Tuesday after not pitching since September 21st. This will give his body and his blister time to heal as much as possible.

Why Fried is so Important to Braves NLDS Rotation

Fried’s last start was on September 21st against the Nationals. He pitched six scoreless innings while racking up seven strikeouts. Having Fried healthy and at a 100% is imperative for the Braves since Charlie Morton will be unavailable for the NLDS.

After Fried and Spencer Strider, the Braves are left with question marks without Morton. Bryce Elder has struggled immensely in the second half with a 5.11 ERA.

The Braves have proven they can overcome spotty starting pitching with their prolific offense, but you can’t put a price on having two lockdown starters perform in the postseason. Having Fried and Strider at their best will take a lot of pressure off of the offense in a five-game series.

Braves Await Winners of Marlins-Phillies Wild Card Series

The Braves are certain to face an NL East foe in the NLDS. They await the winner of the Marlins-Phillies series. The Phillies took a 1-0 series lead last night with a 4-1 victory behind Zack Wheeler.

The NLDS begins Saturday.