Sept. 24, 2021, in San Diego: Nine innings, zero runs, three hits, four strikeouts, 98 pitches (66 strikes).

There were similarities, Fried said, between those games and Tuesday.

“I hadn’t had a nine-inning complete game since ‘21,” Fried said. “I was just very much on the same mentality of on the attack, try to get ground balls. Any time that you can go out there and give the bullpen the night off, it’s huge — especially because a couple of starts so far, they’ve had to pick me up.”

Of the 27 outs Fried collected, 18 came on ground balls — including the four outs recorded on a pair of double plays. He only struck out six Marlins. He just continued inducing weak contact.

After the Marlins collected their first hit, in the third inning, Fried rolled a double play. He faced the minimum through six innings. He faced two over the minimum for the entire game.

“Anytime somebody does that, it’s really good,” Snitker said of Fried’s shutout. “He was just so efficient tonight and getting in the strike zone and putting the ball on the ground. Guys were making some great plays, turned some really tough double plays. It was fun to watch.”

— 3. The reason Fried, at his best, is one of baseball’s elite arms can be seen with this: He threw 25 four-seam fastballs, 21 change-ups, 16 sinkers, 15 sliders, 14 curveballs and one sweeper (a softer slider).

Not counting the sweeper as its own offering, Fried used five different pitches at near-equal amounts. Five!

And on this night, he dominated. The Marlins had no chance. This was a different Fried than the one who debuted with little confidence all those years ago.

“It’s been fun watching his development and getting to know him, and being with him pretty much the whole way, here,” Snitker said. “And it’s just how he’s matured and the confidence, and that he’s never satisfied, he always wants to work to get better and expects a lot of himself, and (is) very dedicated — everything that great pitchers are.”

...continued

©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.