Two-time All-Star pitcher Max Fried is joining the New York Yankees on an eight-year, $218 million deal, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports.
Per the report, it’s the largest guaranteed contract for a left-handed pitcher in MLB history. Fried joins the Yankees two days after they reportedly lost a bidding war to the New York Mets for slugger Juan Soto, free agency’s top prize.
Losing out on Soto forced the Yankees to move to a Plan B in free agency, and adding Fried is the first significant step in that plan. Fried joins a staff that already features 2023 Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole. The Yankees effectively now have two aces at the top of their rotation.
The lefty starter declined a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer from the Braves in mid-November, opting to instead enter free agency. Fried had signed a one-year, $15 million deal with Atlanta heading into the 2024 season.
Fried, 30, has spent his entire major-league career with the Braves, having made his debut in August 2017. Since becoming a consistent starter in 2019, he has racked up 71 wins. He is coming off of his second All-Star season in which he threw 174 1/3 innings with a 3.25 ERA and 166 strikeouts. Fried ranked No. 7 on Yahoo Sports’ list of this winter’s top 50 free agents.
Fried spent some time on IL this season due to nerve inflammation but returned to the mound in August. He pitched one complete game this year and nearly logged a combined no-hitter in May against the New York Mets before it was spoiled by a ninth-inning homer from J.D. Martinez.
Fried was named to the All-Star roster in 2022, and he was a key part of the Braves’ World Series-winning team in 2021. He earned a Silver Slugger award that year and also has three Gold Gloves (2020-2022).
