Atlanta announced Wednesday that Fried will start its April 7 season opener versus the Reds.

EDGE Analysis

The decision for the Opening Day nod came down to Fried and Charlie Morton, with manager Brian Snitker ultimately favoring the former while the latter gears up for a return from the fractured leg he suffered in the World Series. After ranking among MLB's ERA leaders with a 2.25 mark during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, Fried took only a marginal step back in 2021 (3.04) over a much larger sample of 165.2 innings. The lefty also delivered a 1.09 WHIP for the second year in a row, struck out nearly a batter per inning (8.6 K/9) and rolled to 14 wins. With an excellent offense backing him as he heads into his age-28 season, Fried should remain a strong four-category contributor in 2022. He looks like a solid No. 2 or 3 starter for the majority of fantasy squads.