The Atlanta Braves have some tough decisions to make.

Atlanta hasn't had the season it hoped to have, and it will now have to make some tough decisions over the next few months. The Braves will have plenty of money to spend and will have to decide whether or not they want to hand out a boatload of it to ace Max Fried.

He will be a free agent at the end of the season, and the Braves surely will have competition for his services. At this point, it's too early to know where he will land. Despite this, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand listed the San Diego Padres as a possible fit.

"Fried is one of the few homegrown Braves who hasn’t signed a long-term extension, putting him on track to test the free-agent market following his second All-Star campaign in three years," Feinsand said. "The left-hander’s (3.46 ERA) through (26) starts is actually his highest since 2019, but Fried – a three-time Gold Glove winner – will be one of the top starting pitchers available this winter. Potential fits: (Chicago Cubs), Padres, and (Texas Rangers)."

The two-time All-Star has spent his entire eight-year big league career with the Braves. He has shined and has a 3.11 career ERA in 165 total outings, including 148 games started. Fried has been an integral piece of the Braves rotation for years, but price will be a factor this winter.

San Diego has had a surprising season and isn't afraid to spend heavily. The Padres will be a real threat to sign Fried, and The Braves should be keeping a close eye on them over the next few months once the playoffs end.

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