Yankees Sign Max Fried to 8-Year Contract

The New York Yankees have made a significant splash in the free-agent market by agreeing to an eight-year, $218 million contract with left-hander Max Fried, as reported by Jeff Passan of ESPN. The deal, which is pending a physical, includes no deferred money or opt-out clauses and features a full no-trade clause, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale and Joel Sherman of The New York Post. The Red Sox and Rangers were the other finalists in the bidding for Fried's services.


After missing out on Juan Soto, the Yankees had financial resources available to secure Fried, one of the top pitchers on the market. MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported that the Yankees were initially willing to offer a seven-year deal, but ultimately extended to eight years to land Fried. This contract sets a new record for the largest deal ever given to a left-handed pitcher in MLB history, outbidding both Boston and Dallas.


Fried has been a standout performer since his first full season in 2019, posting a 3.07 ERA over 824 2/3 innings. His only peer in ERA and innings pitched during that period is Gerrit Cole, who Fried will now join at the top of the Yankees' rotation. This partnership promises to be a formidable duo, bolstering the Yankees' pitching depth significantly.


The Yankees' rotation has had its share of challenges, with Carlos Rodón showing inconsistency in two seasons, Marcus Stroman approaching his mid-30s, and younger arms like Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt being relatively unproven and injury-prone. Fried’s arrival provides a much-needed stabilizing presence. His career 2.81 ERA ranks third among qualified starters since his breakout, trailing only Brandon Woodruff and Clayton Kershaw. Despite a moderate 23.6% strikeout rate, Fried excels with a low 6.3% walk rate and a high ground-ball rate of 54.2%, a combination that complements Cole's power pitching perfectly.

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Fried's grounder-heavy approach and consistency should be a great fit for the Yankees, providing them with a dependable ace as they aim to build a championship-caliber team for the future. Fans will be eagerly watching how this high-profile acquisition shapes the Yankees' fortunes in the coming seasons. Stay tuned for more updates as the Yankees finalize this landmark signing.