WASHINGTON – This season, Max Fried earned his first All-Star nod.
He will not, however, pitch in the game.
Fried backed out of the All-Star game after throwing 94 pitches over seven innings in Saturday’s win over the Nationals. He will instead take the time to rest over the All-Star break.
After Saturday’s game, one reporter asked Fried what he expected the All-Star festivities to be like.
“Hectic. Crazy,” Fried said. “As far as the schedule is right now, it seems like it’s pretty nonstop. It’ll be exciting. I’m excited to go back and see family and friends, and kind of just enjoy a couple days back at home.”
Fried pitching in the All-Star game would have been a nice story. He’s a Los Angeles native who would have taken the mound at Dodger Stadium in a game full of the sport’s top players. But the Braves need him healthy for the second half and the postseason.
Brewers reliever Devin Williams replaced Fried on the National League’s roster.
Fried, the Braves’ No. 1 pitcher, has a 2.64 ERA through 19 starts this year. He ranks sixth in the NL in ERA, eighth in strikeouts, third in innings pitched and 10th in WHIP.
“I feel good,” Fried said Saturday when asked how he feels going into the break. “It’s nice to get some time off and to be able to kind of reset and refocus for the second half. I think we’ve been playing really well as a team and trying to finish this first half strong.”
In addition to manager Brian Snitker and his staff, who will lead the NL squad, Braves players Ronald Acuña, Dansby Swanson, Austin Riley, Travis d’Arnaud and William Contreras will represent the organization in Los Angeles. Acuña will participate in Monday’s Home Run Derby.
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