According to Insider, the Braves could soon lose $174 million in All-Stars to the wild-card Blue Jays

The Atlanta Braves typically don’t let their homegrown stars walk, but this winter could be a notable exception.

In recent years, the Braves have given lucrative contract extensions to star players like Ronald Acuña Jr., Austin Riley and Spencer Strider. But there was one All-Star that Atlanta was never able to capture before free agency: Max Fried.

Fried, a 30-year-old left-hander with a career record of 73-36, is expected to receive a nine-figure contract this winter. The Braves don’t seem particularly interested in entering a bidding war to bring him back, which could spell doom if the list of potential suitors continues to grow.

The Toronto Blue Jays are one of the many teams in the Juan Soto sweepstakes, but also finished last in 2024. They’re one of the biggest wild cards in this winter’s free agency showdown because no one really knows which way they could swing.

Right now, however, the Blue Jays are a serious threat to steal Fried. Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith reported Thursday that Toronto is interested in signing the two-time All-Star to the starting lineup.

“They’re in Soto and they’re interested in players like Max Fried … but President and CEO Mark Shapiro said in early October he expects the payroll to be similar to 2024, most of it already taken and.” “It “There is little certainty about the squad beyond next year,” said Nicholson-Smith.

Nicholson-Smith’s portrait of the Blue Jays portrays them as a team stuck in limbo, desperately trying to get back into contention. If they miss out on Soto, it’s very likely that the Blue Jays will immediately turn their attention to Fried and perhaps even overpay to ensure they sign him.

Toronto wouldn’t be the worst place for Fried to sign from the Braves’ perspective, but any new jersey will look strange for the longtime Atlanta star. And if the Braves aren’t willing to go to great lengths to keep him, they certainly can’t be picky.

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