Braves All-Star Max Fried has been placed on the injured list due to left forearm neuritis, the team announced on Sunday morning. As a result, left-hander Dylan Dodd was called up from the minors. Fried admitted to feeling discomfort while warming up for Tuesday’s All-Star Game but decided to pitch anyway, walking a batter and throwing 10 pitches in his inning.
“Before the All-Star Game, I felt something unusual while warming up but didn’t think much of it since such sensations often go away,” Fried explained on Sunday (via 680 The Fan). “After traveling home, I still felt it during catch practice and realized I should report it. Tests showed everything is structurally fine, just an irritated sensory nerve. I’ll let it calm down and hope to be back soon.”
Forearm neuritis, a nerve issue rather than ligament or muscle damage, occurs when the ulnar nerve gets irritated or compressed, leading to numbness, tingling, pain, and potentially a weakened grip.
Fried, 30, has a 7-5 record with a 3.08 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 95 strikeouts against 34 walks in 108 innings this season. After being the Cy Young runner-up in 2022, Fried has faced two injury-prone seasons and will become a free agent after this season.
Adding to the Braves’ woes, second baseman Ozzie Albies is also heading to the injured list after injuring his left hand/wrist while attempting a tag in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals. Manager Brian Snitker confirmed Albies’ IL status, stating, “It’s not good” (via 680 The Fan). Albies had already missed 10 days in April with a toe fracture and had a .255/.308/.403 line with eight home runs in 89 games before this injury.
With another regular landing on the injured list, the Atlanta Braves are set to promote infield prospect Nacho Alvarez for his major league debut, according to a report by MLB.com’s Mark Bowman. Alvarez will take on the role of second baseman.
The Braves are expected to bring Nacho Alvarez up to replace Ozzie Albies (left wrist) tomorrow. Alvarez has primarily played short, but his athleticism and instincts should allow him to make a quick transition to the second base position
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) July 21, 2024
The Braves hold the top Wild Card spot in the National League with a 54-44 record but haven’t matched their regular-season success from 2022 and 2023 due to injuries to key players, including Ronald Acuña Jr.’s ACL tear in 2023 and Spencer Strider’s Tommy John surgery in 2024.
Fried was expected to help cover for Strider’s absence. In his place, the Braves will rely on Chris Sale and Reynaldo López, who have performed well but will also need strong contributions from Dylan Dodd, Charlie Morton, and Spencer Schwellenbach.
