The Yankees' New Acquisition: Max Fried Joins the Bronx Bombers
In a move that has electrified the baseball community, the New York Yankees have signed left-handed pitcher Max Fried to an eight-year contract worth $218 million. The addition of Fried, a former ace of the Atlanta Braves, is poised to bolster an already formidable Yankees rotation with his exceptional talent and experience.
Fried's contract also includes a full no-trade clause, emphasizing the Yankees' commitment to securing his services long-term. This financial commitment and contractual protection underscore the high regard in which Fried is held by the Yankees organization, aligning perfectly with their ambitions of reclaiming baseball dominance.
Max Fried's departure from the Braves comes following an illustrious career in Atlanta, where he played a pivotal role in their 2021 World Series victory. Fried's mastery on the mound was on full display when he secured the win in Game 6 against the Houston Astros, a hallmark of his contributions to the Braves' success. Over the last four seasons, he has maintained an impressive 2.66 ERA across nearly 500 innings, cementing his status as one of the game's elite left-handed pitchers.
In the Yankees' starting rotation, Fried will join the likes of Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt, and Luis Gil. Not to be overlooked are the contributions of Marcus Stroman and Nestor Cortes, who provide the Yankees with an abundance of rotation depth. The addition of Fried, known for controlling exit velocity with remarkable precision—ranking in the 95th percentile in this metric last season—only strengthens the Yankees' pitching arsenal.
Fried's ability to generate ground balls is a critical complement to his pitching repertoire, with a noteworthy consistency of inducing nearly 60% grounders. However, his durability is a factor the Yankees will monitor closely, as he has surpassed the 180 innings threshold only once in his career. Last season, he notched a 3.25 ERA over 29 starts, pitching 174 ⅓ innings, solidifying his position as a reliable starter despite concerns over longevity.
This season, Fried is slated to become a pivotal piece in the Yankees’ quest to repeat their last season's achievements, where they won both the AL East and the AL pennant. With Fried turning 31 in January 2025, his eight-year tenure in New York offers the Yankees a valuable combination of experience and leadership well into the latter part of his career.
The Atlanta Braves, however, will receive compensation for Fried's departure, earning a compensation draft pick following the fourth round. Fried's MLB journey is also marked by his involvement in a 2014 trade deal—one that saw Justin Upton move to the San Diego Padres—a testament to his longstanding reputation as a valuable asset in the league.
The excitement surrounding Fried’s move to the Bronx is mirrored by the New York Mets' recent acquisition of star slugger Juan Soto. With Soto inking a groundbreaking 15-year, $765 million contract, New York's baseball landscape is abuzz with anticipation for the fiendish rivalry and talent now gracing its stadiums.
Sports commentator R.J. Anderson sums up Fried's prowess aptly: "We wanted to print a complete list of left-handed starting pitchers with a better ERA+ than Fried since the beginning of the 2020 season, but we ran into a problem. You see, no sinister hurler who had a decent amount of innings (min. 200 combined) actually placed ahead of him in that metric." It's a reminder of Fried's elite status among baseball's left-handed pitchers and the significant impact he could have on the Yankees’ forthcoming seasons.
With spring training on the horizon, the pinstripes will eagerly anticipate Fried donning their iconic uniform, ready to showcase the skill and tenacity that have made him a standout figure on the mound. If his past performance is any indication, Yankees fans can look forward to the sustained excellence that Fried is known to deliver, further igniting hopes of another championship rally in the Bronx. As the new season approaches, the Yankees' rotation appears stronger than ever, poised to command the attention and respect of the entire league.