Fried didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 7-6 extra-innings loss to the Brewers, giving up three runs on seven hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out six.

EDGE Analysis

The southpaw got staked to a 4-0 lead in the third inning and exited with his team still ahead, but the Atlanta bullpen blew leads in the ninth, 10th and finally the 11th inning. Fried still delivered his fifth straight quality start, and he'll take a 3.31 ERA and 47:6 K:BB through 49 innings into his next outing.

Fried didn't factor into the decision in Friday's 11-6 loss to the Padres, giving up four runs on nine hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out six.

EDGE Analysis

The southpaw was still the pitcher of record when Atlanta took a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, lining him up for his fifth straight win, but Will Smith served up a three-run blast to Ha-Seong Kim in the top of the seventh to flip the script. Fried has had a strong start to the year, posting a 3.14 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 41:4 K:BB through 43 innings.

Fried (4-2) earned the win over Milwaukee on Saturday, hurling seven innings during which he gave up one run on four hits and one walk while striking out eight.

EDGE Analysis

Fried kept the Brewers off the scoreboard for six frames before Hunter Renfroe got to him for a solo shot in the seventh. That was the only blemish of the southpaw's outing, and the ace tied a season high with eight punchouts while racking up 15 swinging strikes. Fried started the season by giving up five runs in his first start, but he has been on a tear since then, registering a 1.72 ERA across his subsequent five outings covering 31.1 innings. He has finished with a quality start in four straight appearances.

Fried (3-2) picked up the win in Monday's 5-2 victory over the Mets, giving up two runs on four hits over six innings. He struck out six without walking a batter.

EDGE Analysis

The lefty continues to have pinpoint control. Fried boasts a minuscule 0.9 percent walk rate through five starts and 30 innings, leading to a 3.00 ERA and 0.87 WHIP, and the efficiency has allowed him to deliver three straight quality starts and three straight wins. While he'll eventually start issuing more free passes, that may not result in much regression in his performance -- his 94.5 mph fastball average is the highest of his career, while his 67.5 percent strand rate has been somewhat unlucky.

Fried (2-2) picked up the win in Tuesday's 3-1 victory over the Cubs, allowing one run on four hits over six innings. He struck out four without walking a batter.

EDGE Analysis

It wasn't a dominant performance by the southpaw but it was an effective one, as Fried tossed 61 of 89 pitches for strikes in his second straight quality start. After a rough first start of the year, the year the 28-year-old has already righted the ship, and through four outings and 24 innings, Fried sports a 3.00 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 21:1 K:BB.

Fried (1-2) go the win during Tuesday's 3-1 victory over the Dodgers, allowing two hits in seven scoreless innings.

EDGE Analysis

Fried was masterful Tuesday, keeping a potent Dodger's lineup at bay all game and not permitting a baserunner until the sixth inning after Atlanta already had a three-run lead. The 28-year-old has now improved in each of his three starts and appears back on track with nearly as many strikeouts Tuesday as he had in his first two starts against lesser opponents. Fried is tentatively slated to face the Cubs on Tuesday for his next turn.

Fried (leg) said after Wednesday's 3-1 loss to the Nationals that he feels "fine" after exiting his start shortly after being struck by a comebacker in the sixth inning, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. He intends to make his next start, which tentatively lines up for Tuesday in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.

EDGE Analysis

Fried said Nelson Cruz's line drive to the mound to begin the sixth inning struck him in his right hamstring, but other than experiencing some minor soreness or bruising, the southpaw didn't appear to be in any pain. After Cruz's groundout, Fried allowed back-to-back singles before being pulled from the contest after 78 pitches, six shy of his total from his Opening Day start last week. Fried finished the afternoon with three runs allowed (two earned) across 5.1 innings and was charged with his second loss of the season.

Fried was removed midway through the sixth inning of his start Wednesday against the Nationals, shortly after being struck in the right leg by a Nelson Cruz comebacker to the mound, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. He covered 5.1 frames in the outing and gave up three runs (two earned) on seven hits and no walks while striking out four.

EDGE Analysis

Fried departed with Atlanta trailing 3-0, so he'll be on the hook for a loss or no-decision. Fortunately, he doesn't appear to be dealing with any sort of a major injury. He was able to face two batters after Cruz's groundout, and he didn't exhibit any sort of limp while walking off the field. Fantasy managers will still want to ensure Fried is feeling fine coming out of his next bullpen session, but he looks on track to make his third start of the season Monday or Tuesday in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.

Fried (0-1) took the loss against Cincinnati on Thursday, tossing 5.2 innings and allowing five runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out five.

EDGE Analysis

Fried was primarily stung by a troublesome third frame during which he gave up two runs on a trio of singles and a walk. Two of the other runs he was charged with came after he departed the contest in the sixth inning. Though his final line wasn't pretty, the southpaw didn't give up any extra-base hits and was largely a victim of soft contact. Fried promisingly threw 84 pitches in the outing, so he could go even deeper into his next start, which is tentatively scheduled to come at home against Washington next week.

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.