Atlanta Braves place pitcher Max Fried on injured list

Sept. 22 (UPI) -- The Atlanta Braves placed ace left-handed pitcher Max Fried on the 15-day injured list, ending his regular season just ahead of the playoffs, the team announced Friday.

The Braves said Fried has a blister on his left index finger. Atlanta called up right-handed pitcher Darius Vines from the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers to fill his place.

Fried allowed three hits and one run over six innings in a win over the Washington Nationals on Thursday in Washington, D.C. He told reporters after the game that the blister became bothersome toward the end of his appearance.

He went 8-1 with a 2.55 ERA over 14 starts this season. He had been out earlier for nearly three months with a left forearm sprain and worked his way back via rehab assignments at two minor league clubs.

The Braves (98-55) clinched the National League East title with a win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday in Philadelphia.

They will play the Nationals again at 7:05 p.m. EDT Friday at Nationals Park. They have nine regular-season games remaining, six of them against the Nationals and three against the Chicago Cubs.

The National League Division Series will start Oct. 7.