The Atlanta Braves’ silence at the trade deadline regarding starting pitching spoke volumes about the team’s confidence in the ace they have up their sleeve.

Atlanta did not make a move this week despite reports linking the National League East Division leaders to names like Justin Verlander and Marcus Stroman. If there was a potential weakness for the Braves entering the last two months of the regular season and postseason, it was their starting pitching.

Not that certain players haven’t performed well – after all Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder were all-stars this year – but injuries to Max Fried and Kyle Wright derailed a significant portion of their seasons. They were arguably the top two arms from last year’s team and unfortunately have missed most of the season They placed added pressure on Elder, a young hurler, along with a bullpen that’s also been decimated by injuries.

But Fried’s return should spark a team that held a 11.5 game lead in the division entering Friday. He has been the team’s best starting pitcher in recent years, was a World Series hero in 2021 and returns at a time when he should be well positioned for playoff success once the calendar turns to October.

Fried sports a 56-26 career record and 3.05 ERA with a fabulous 1.07 WHIP. His six-inning, zero-run masterpiece in Game 6 of the ’21 World Series cemented his greatness in Braves history. He has two months to round into playoff form.

The Braves feature a roster that is full of playoff veterans and all-stars that are more than capable of enjoying postseason success again. They feature a stacked lineup, the likely Most Valuable Player in Ronald Acuna Jr., a healthy and dangerous No. 9 hitter in Michael Harris II and the league’s leading home run hitter in Matt Olson. The bullpen has been reshaped following multiple trades prior to the deadline that should provide much-needed depth.

The starting rotation was and remains the biggest question mark. The Braves and general manager Alex Anthopolous are placing their faith in Fried that he returns healthy and performs like the pitcher that finished runner-up in the Cy Young voting last year.

If he does, and can complement the likes of Strider, Elder and Charlie Morton atop the rotation, the Braves are set for a World Series run. But the southpaw needs to be the old Max Fried. I think he will be … just give him time.