3 San Diego Padres pitchers who the franchise didn’t develop into an ace

LH Pitcher Max Fried

Max Fried was among the top hurlers available in the 2012 MLB draft as the Padres selected him seventh overall. However, he sustained a forearm injury that required Tommy John surgery in 2014. It kept him out of action until May 2016.

The Friars traded Fried to the Atlanta Braves on the heels of his surgery. Still, he faced several short IL stints and threw a combined 59.2 IP in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

Fried’s breakout campaign came in 2019, as he was 17-9 with a 4.02 ERA in 30 starts. His ability to pitch deep into games brought stability to the struggling Braves rotation. The organization felt the time was right to stretch Fried’s workload and remove the developmental parameters used in the minors. His growth as major league starter played a role in Atlanta's World Series title in 2021.

Fried would have been a perfect fit in the 2023 Padres starting rotation. What is more disappointing has been the level of success achieved after leaving the organization.