The NLDS will get underway on Tuesday with the Atlanta Braves playing host to the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers opening up their series against the San Diego Padres.
The Braves will send their ace and experienced postseason veteran in Max Fried to the mound against the Phils, who will counter with left-hander Ranger Suarez.
Naturally, the Braves are feeling pretty confident heading into this series with Fried starting the opener.
He went 14-7 and posted a 2.48 ERA in 30 starts this season.
Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud commented on Fried getting the start in the series opener, saying that there is nobody the Braves would rather have than him.
“There is nobody else we’d rather have on the mound,” – Travis d’Arnaud on Game 1 starter Max Fried #NLDS #Braves #ForTheA
— Reggie Chatman Jr. (@ReggieChatman) October 10, 2022
Fried Gets The Call
You can’t really blame the Braves for this.
Fried is an experienced postseason pitcher who has a history of coming through in the clutch.
After all, he nailed down the victory in Game 6 of the World Series last year against the Houston Astros, which gave the Braves their first championship since 1995.
So naturally, the Braves are going to feel confident with him opening up the NLDS, especially against a lefty-heavy Phillies lineup.
While we aren’t yet sure of when Spencer Strider will be back, the Braves at the very least can rely on Fried to get the job done.
He’s been their ace for the past several years, and starting pitching is often what teams lean on in October.
But it has to feel good for Fried to know that his teammates trust him enough for a Game 1 start and that he’s everybody’s first choice to start that game.
This NLDS with the Phillies and Braves should be a fun one.
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