Max Fried’s Stellar Performance Spurs Atlanta Braves to Triumph, Royals Secure Wild Card Spot

In a demonstration of superior pitching prowess, Max Fried led the Atlanta Braves to a 3-0 shutout victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night. Despite the loss, the Royals were still able to bask in the joy of their first postseason berth since 2015, thanks to Minnesota’s defeat by Baltimore, 7-2.

Royals Celebrate Postseason Return Amid Braves’ Victory

The Royals’ secured their American League wild card ticket spurred a boisterous celebration in the visitors’ clubhouse at Truist Park. The Braves also had a reason to celebrate, bagging a National League wild-card spot due to losses by the Mets and Diamondbacks.

Bobby Witt Jr., a star of the Royals, expressed his pride in the team’s achievement. “It’s the dawn of a new era of greatness,” he said. Sean Murphy’s two-run homer for the Braves and Marcell Ozuna’s run following a throwing error after his first stolen base since 2022 were other highlights of the night.

Doubleheader Showdown: Braves and Mets

The Braves and Mets are due for a doubleheader showdown on Monday in Atlanta, a day after the regular season’s scheduled end. This is to compensate for the two games between the NL East rivals that were cancelled due to heavy rain from Hurricane Helene.

Braves’ Fried: A Game to Remember

Fried, who currently holds a record of 11-10, was one out away from a shutout. He handed the ball to Raisel Iglesias when the Royals had runners at second and third. Iglesias secured his 33rd save by retiring Salvador Perez on a flyout, marking Fried’s first career start against the Royals.

Fried’s performance, marked by 98 pitches, 63 strikes, two walks, and nine strikeouts, drew praise from Royals manager Matt Quatraro. “His pitching was a spectacle of skill. He has multiple plus pitches and knows how to use them,” Quatraro said.

Royals’ Singer and Braves’ Murphy: A Head-to-Head Clash

Brady Singer of the Royals allowed two runs on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Sean Murphy of the Braves homered on an 0-2 sweeper from Singer that landed in the middle of the zone in the fourth inning.

Singer recognized his mistake, saying, “I needed to get that off the plate a touch more. It remained in the zone, and he capitalized on it.”

Max Fried’s Braves Journey: A Chapter Ends?

Fried, who has spent his entire career with the Braves, is set to become a free agent after the World Series. The emotional left-hander acknowledged this could’ve been his last home game in a Braves uniform. There’s no word yet on whether the Braves are planning to offer Fried a new long-term contract.

“Leaving that field, hearing the roar, it was a moment of mixed emotions,” Fried said. “I’m extremely appreciative and profoundly grateful.”

Looking Forward: Upcoming Match Details

The Royals’ Vinnie Pasquantino is expected to take simulated at-bats against reliever Will Smith on Saturday. For the Braves, Reynaldo López will be activated to start on Saturday.

In the upcoming second game of the series, Seth Lugo (16-9, 3.03 ERA) will start for the Royals, while López (8-5, 2.03) will make his first appearance since a start at Washington on Sept. 10. Lugo’s last outing saw him allow two runs on three hits over seven innings in a 2-0 loss to the Giants on Sept. 22.