The New York Yankees are well-known for their willingness to invest heavily in pitching, and the opportunity to pair Gerrit Cole with free-agent ace Max Fried could give the team one of the most dynamic one-two punches in Major League Baseball.
According to Michael Kay, the Yankees held a 90-minute Zoom call with Fried on Wednesday, which reportedly went “very well.” The Yankees seem to be making a strong push to land the All-Star lefty, and a potential six-year, $170 million deal could bring him to the Bronx.
Why Max Fried Makes Sense for the Yankees
Fried, a 30-year-old southpaw, has been one of the most consistent and elite pitchers in the game over the past several years. In 2024, he posted a 3.25 ERA over 174.1 innings, with 8.57 strikeouts per nine and 2.94 walks per nine. His 3.4 WAR was stellar, and ranking in the 96th percentile in ground-ball rate is certainly intriguing. Fried’s ability to limit hard contact, combined with his elite command, makes him a perfect fit for a Yankees rotation looking to build on its strengths while addressing areas of inconsistency.
Fried has 67 innings of post-season action, which is an important variable for the Yankees, who need a secondary Ace who can step up and dominate. They simply can’t lean on Carlos Rodon to be their No. 2 any longer, and acquiring Fried may open up the idea of trading Nestor Cortes.
A Cole-Fried Pairing Could Be Transformative
Gerrit Cole, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, remains the undisputed ace of the Yankees’ rotation. In 2024, Cole posted a 3.41 ERA over 95 innings. Injury derailed his campaign, but Cole still put on a show in the playoffs.
Pairing Cole with Fried would create a devastating combination at the top of the rotation. Fried’s ability to generate weak contact and induce ground balls complements Cole’s power-pitching approach. Together, they would give the Yankees the flexibility to handle any lineup, with Fried providing a different look from Cole’s fastball-slider-heavy arsenal.
Beyond their individual performances, the duo’s impact on the rest of the rotation cannot be overstated. Having two elite pitchers at the top would ease the burden on the remaining starters, allowing them to slot into more favorable matchups and potentially reducing wear and tear over the course of the season.
Financial Commitment and Strategic Fit
A six-year, $170 million deal for Fried would average $28.3 million annually, making it a significant but worthwhile investment for the Yankees. With Marcus Stroman’s salary of $18.5 million coming off the books in 2026, they will have flexibility in the future. Who’s to say they don’t find a way to offload that salary this off-season?