The New York Yankees misplaced their second-best participant as a free agent on Sunday, however GM Brian Cashman didn’t sulk. He went out and obtained one of many two finest free brokers left available on the market, left-hander Max Fried, agreeing to present the previous Atlanta starter an eight-year, $218 million contract that helps give the Yankees among the best rotations (on paper) within the American League.
Fried has quietly been among the many finest beginning pitchers within the recreation over the past 5 years, rating eleventh in fWAR for the reason that begin of the 2020 season with 15.4 regardless of lacking 15-20 begins in that point span on account of accidents. He’s obtained a hammer curveball that is still his main offspeed pitch and an actual swing-and-miss weapon for him, with whiff charges constantly within the 35-40 p.c vary. He sits 93-94 mph and throws a large assortment of pitches, with Statcast giving him seven distinct ones in 2024, separating a lower-velocity sweeper that had extra break than his conventional slider. I wrote in his free-agent capsule that I appreciated him as a long-term possibility as a result of he doesn’t depend on velocity to get hitters out, and steered he’d get near $30 million a yr (appropriate) and perhaps 5 years (incorrect).
The size of this deal could also be a crimson herring of kinds, as groups are doing longer contracts to decrease the AAV for luxury-tax functions, one thing the Yankees of all groups will at all times have to contemplate. Is it extra like seven years at $31 million per yr? Six years and $36.3 million per? Either one appears cheap, if slightly lengthy, for a pitcher whose manner of getting outs will depend on command and altering speeds and shapes, reasonably than pure energy. Given that many pitchers lose velocity of their 30s, and that there’s a minimum of some proof now that pitching at your most velocity is linked to elbow issues, Fried looks as if among the best bets in free company to carry his worth.
GO DEEPER
Why the Yankees focused Max Fried and the way he suits of their rotation
He is effective, too, and slots in instantly because the Yankees’ No. 2 starter, a constant 3-4 WAR starter who has made 28 begins 4 instances within the final 5 full MLB seasons. The Yankees have a really robust rotation on paper if everyone seems to be wholesome, and will even attempt to commerce one starter — perhaps Nestor Cortes, who’s one yr from free company — for short-term offensive assist someplace.
Nothing they do can absolutely change what they misplaced with the departure of Juan Soto, however Fried might have been the next-best possibility for them. He did have a reverse platoon break up in 2024, pushed largely by a .412 BABIP by left-handed batters, however given the small pattern and his profession splits to that time, I’m inclined to suppose that’s only a fluke. He has a number of weapons that needs to be efficient towards lefties, together with that curveball and his true slider.
Fried would have been a fantastic match for lots of groups, however I’m wondering what the Los Angeles Angels are going to do now that the man who was most likely the very best match for them — he’s good, he’s younger, and he occurs to be from LA — is already signed. The Angels have so as to add some high-end pitching to be related in any respect this yr, and that will nonetheless require them to get a wholesome Mike Trout season and doubtless signal or in any other case purchase a minimum of yet another bat.
The Angels needs to be heavy on Jack Flaherty, Corbin Burnes, and even Sean Manaea, however they’re unlikely to land even certainly one of these guys. I don’t perceive enjoying out the string of the Trout contract with out investing in additional expertise round him. At that time, simply commerce him and begin a correct rebuild, particularly now that Shohei Ohtani is gone. The workforce’s sample of drafting school hitters who ought to transfer rapidly says that that isn’t their mindset, so go spend a few of Arte’s cash.
(Photo: Dale Zanine / USA Today)
