Mr. White, You and ItchyBob both routinely post trades involving the Braves and I find many of them to be intriguing ideas. I like this one. It would be seismic for the Braves to trade away Max Fried. I''d question the sanity of that FO because this would clearly be taking away from the team's competitiveness in 2023. I feel like the guys on that team, for years to come, will be taking the field with the expectation that they can beat any team on any day. They must certainly feel that way behind an ace like Max Fried. I really do like these three Dodgers arms. It's the better future bet to go with them than with Fried & McHugh, but not for the Braves in 2023. ? I'm curious to see how McHugh's going to be used by the Braves this season. I was on his cutter in 2021 and it looks like hitters mistake it for FB a bunch in 2022 as well. Will that continue? I'm heavy on all the guys projected to be in that 'pen. Will McHugh will be used less in '23 than he was in '22? And because he's listed as a SP (which he clearly isn't) I believe this site's overvaluing McHugh. Ryan Pepiot's value and McHugh's is close-ish. Imagine taking McHugh's ability to throw slider/cutter and somehow transfer it to Pepiot. That'd be a very nice pitcher to have for any team. Cool trade idea, intriguing players mentioned, and if those Dodgers pitchers can be ML-ready by next year and LAD signs Ohtani, that's a collection of deep and nasty SP's.

Fried hasn't signed an extension and it stands to reason that the Braves have offered. The Braves have locked up their core, minus Fried, to extensions with the idea that the Team will be competitive for years to come. So, given that, I think it best for the Braves to trade Fried now for best available return, which should be quite significant. The proposed trade probably weakens the 2023 team but strengthens the team in 2024 and beyond. Fried is from California and has expressed interest in returning their to play. The Dodgers get the best LHSP in baseball but give up 3 near ready high end arms. Chances are the Dodgers sign Fried to that extension because that's where he wants to play (apparently). I would do this trade and keep McHugh but instead include cash equivalent if the Dodgers wanted that for payroll reasons. But, I would want the three pitchers coming back from them no matter what. The Braves have enough reliever depth to do without McHugh if necessary. Again, 2023 is probably weakened but beyond 2023 the team is strengthened. But 2023 likely is weakened anyway due to sub par LF play (the Ozuna/Rosario albatrosses) and the failure to land a replacement for Dansby (I am very skeptical that Grissom can handle short long term as I don't think he has the arm or overall defense and Arcia is more utility than starter). The Padres are supposed to be all in for Ohtani next year, so I think Fried is the natural long term replacement for Kershaw for them. If both sides do this trade, then the Braves would need 2 serviceable starters from the group of: Miller, Pepiot, Stone, Anderson, Elder, Soroka and Allard. The alternative for the Braves is to hang on to Fried and try to win it all in 2023 with two gaping holes in LF and SS and no high end pitching depth anywhere near the ML, just to see him walk for a 2-3rd draft pick in a couple of years.