When the Yankees handed out a massive eight-year, $218 million contract this offseason, it wasn’t met with unanimous applause.
Max Fried was elite, sure—but some questioned whether the lefty would live up to the price tag long-term.
Now, just a few months into his Bronx tenure, Fried is making that contract look like a steal.
It’s not just that he’s been good—it’s that he’s been everything the Yankees needed after disaster struck in the spring.
With Gerrit Cole undergoing Tommy John surgery, the Bombers desperately needed a new ace to take the reins.
Fried didn’t hesitate, stepping into the fire and emerging as one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball.
Dominating from the jump in a high-pressure environment
Fried entered the season with high expectations following a strong year with the Atlanta Braves, posting a 3.25 ERA in 2024.
But what he’s done so far with the Yankees has exceeded even the most optimistic projections for the 30-year-old southpaw.
Over 44.2 innings, he’s allowed just five earned runs, pitching to a jaw-dropping 1.01 ERA in early 2025.
On Friday night, he threw seven scoreless frames against Tampa Bay, allowing only one hit over 92 pitches.
He struck out six batters and gave the Yankees everything they needed—and more—in a low-scoring win.
The beauty of Fried’s current form is its simplicity: give him three runs of support, and he’ll do the rest.
Pitch mix changes have quietly fueled his evolution
The Yankees haven’t just let Fried do what he always did in Atlanta—they’ve tinkered subtly with his pitch usage.
They’ve slightly decreased his curveball usage and increased reliance on his sinker and sweeper to change the look.
The sweeper in particular has seen a 7% bump in usage, adding depth and deception to his arsenal.
His four-seam fastball is performing extremely well, holding opposing batters to a .156 average and .230 slugging percentage.
Surprisingly, his normally dominant changeup is being hit more than expected, allowing a .346 average in early outings.
Yet the fact that Fried is excelling despite that suggests even more upside is still on the table.
If the curveball and changeup return to form, we may not have even seen his peak performance yet.
A rotation that looked elite on paper is hanging by a thread
The Yankees’ rotation entered the season looking like a powerhouse, but injuries quickly turned that dream into a challenge.
Cole was lost before the season began, and Marcus Stroman has also dealt with injury concerns out of the gate.
That left Fried as the dependable rock—and so far, he’s answered the call better than anyone could’ve hoped.
When Cole returns in 2026, the Yankees could deploy a one-two punch as good as any in baseball.
Until then, Fried is holding the line—and doing it with poise, precision, and the confidence of a veteran ace.
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