Yesterday, it was officially reported that the New York Yankees would sign Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million deal, and while it’s an expensive move, it’s one that definitely makes them better in the present day. A left-hander who has a track record of being a frontline starter, the Yankees are hoping he can elevate their rotation to new heights, and while there are reasons to be skeptical of his contract, he is one of the top starters in the game. He has the best ERA in the sport among pitchers with at least 500 IP since 2020, and Fried could be a needle-mover for what could be an elite rotation.
There’s not just an extensive track record of success or a well-deserved ace label, but upside that could make Max Fried even better in the Bronx.
Paying a Premium For Elite Damage Prevention
Max Fried is an outlier pitcher, the kind of arm who possesses qualities that allow him to dominate in a manner that’s unique compared to most aces. He’s not the kind of pitcher who will rack up strikeouts, overpower hitters with his fastball, or try and avoid allowing contact. Fried has no problem allowing contact because when batters do put bat-on-ball, they typically end up hitting a weak grounder that the defense can convert into an out.
Experts have long debated whether a pitcher can truly control the damage they allow on contact, and while it’s hard to quantify, there are traits that make limiting damage contact more attainable. Max Fried has a deep pitch mix with various movement profiles that can keep hitters guessing, not throwing a single pitch more than 33% of the time and using each of his seven pitches at least 130 times in 2024.
It starts with his four-seamer, a pitch that generates tons of soft contact on the ground thanks to its unique horizontal movement, generating more cut than arm-side movement. Blended into a repertoire that includes a sinker, cutter, curveball, changeup, sweeper, and slider, Fried is able to keep hitters guessing and completely neutralize their ability to square the ball up against him.
Fried may not miss bats at the rate that Tarik Skubal or Pauk Skenes can, but he does miss barrels at an incredibly high rate, and it makes him a desirable top-of-the-rotation option. Despite not having an overpowering fastball, he is one of the best pitchers in the sport and has been dominant over the last three seasons with the Atlanta Braves. He’s second in ERA (2.80), fifth in FIP (3.03), and fifth in GB% (55.3%) among qualified pitchers since 2022, and pairing him with Gerrit Cole gives the rotation two unique looks to throw at any contender in the postseason.
The Yankees have added a frontline starting pitcher and dramatically improved their run prevention with someone who has a proven track record of big-league success, but Max Fried might be able to take even more strides in 2025. He’s already one of the top pitchers in the game and has the career resume to back up the contract he got, but some of his struggles in 2024 may have spurred a game-changing adjustment.
How the Yankees Can Get More Out of Max Fried in 2025
Last season Max Fried experienced a rough stretch in August, posting a 4.96 ERA in the month and seeing his ERA on the season balloon to 3.52, which would be the worst mark he’s had in a season since 2019. With the Braves desperately needing their rotation to step up in order to have a chance to make the postseason, Fried had more riding on his September than just the dollars he could get in free agency.
This is still a pitcher who had an extensive track record of elite run prevention that he could bring to the table in potential negotiations, but if he wanted to pitch in the postseason he would need to change things up. Batters were working more walks against Fried and striking out way less compared to 2023, and after tinkering with a sweeper at times in 2023 and 2024, he’d finally crack the code on a devastating whirly.
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Max Fried improved the depth, sweep, and velocity of the pitch dramatically, utilizing it more in September and posting a 2.14 ERA with a 27.1% strikeout rate down the stretch as a result. It became an unhittable weapon that could work as a putaway pitch against lefties or a pitch to steal strikes with against righties, and it’s a pitch that the Yankees have always loved pushing the usage of.
The development of an excellent sweeper could give Fried the kind of swing-and-miss pitch he needs to rack up more strikeouts in 2025, and the Yankees are the right organization to emphasize sweeper usage with. Batters had a Whiff% north of 34% on the pitch in September, and with how well Max Fried can command his arsenal, adding another elite breaking ball to the arsenal should only make him better.
Another way the Yankees can help Max Fried continue to prevent runs is to surround him with excellent defense, and the organization is well-equipped to do so. Anthony Volpe and Jazz Chisholm make for an excellent left side of the infield, with Volpe being a Gold Glove winner in 2023 and being named a finalist in 2024. Furthermore, the organization ramped up talks with first baseman Christian Walker yesterday, and while nothing has been agreed to since, he’s been on their radar.
The Yankees can also provide the best framing tandem in the sport with Austin Wells and Jose Trevino, who will help Fried steal strikes and freeze hitters. As a groundball pitcher who relies of pristine command and a deep arsenal to get outs, having an excellent framer who can steal strikes and a reliable defense to convert soft contact into outs is vital, and New York provides both of those things for him.
Injuries are a real concern for Max Fried, but if the Yankees get the value they’re hoping for early in the contract, they could win a title thanks to his services. Entering any playoff series the Yankees could have the two best pitchers on either side, and they’ll need to hope that they can keep their starters healthy as they have plenty of talent on the roster. It also opens up an avenue for them to make a big offer for someone like Kyle Tucker, as the Astros reportedly covet Luis Gil.
Time will tell, but the Yankees got an ace in Max Fried. Whether he returns the $218 million of value or not remains to be seen, but he’s one of the premier pitchers in the sport and could get even better in 2025.