Jon Heyman of the New York Post went on The Michael Kay Show to discuss the Yankees and their pivots after losing out on outfielder Juan Soto, and among the names mentioned was left-hander Max Fried. According to the long-time insider, the Yankees and Red Sox are expected to compete for his services, with bidding expected to exceed $200 million when it’s all said and done. The left-hander amassed a 3.25 ERA across 29 starts last season with the Atlanta Braves, who seem all but out of these sweepstakes as they aren’t seen as the kind of spender who would drop $200 million on a starter.
After both teams missed out on Soto, their attention has shifted towards the top of the pitching market, where the Yankees could once again go toe-for-toe with a rival on a star free agent.
Yankees and Red Sox Pit Against Each Other For Max Fried
Max Fried is one of the best starters in the game, and the Yankees would love to add him to the top of their rotation, giving them a deadly one-two punch with Gerrit Cole. The problem? The Red Sox would love to do the same with young burgeoning star Tanner Houck, who burst onto the scene making his first All-Star Game in 2024. These two ballclubs missed out on Juan Soto and have to pivot to other options on the market, and both have plenty of work to do.
The Red Sox haven’t made the playoffs since 2021, missing out on October in five of their last six seasons, something that has caused plenty of unease in Boston. Ownership has pledged to spend big to upgrade their roster, but after comments about going “Full Throttle” last winter, they came up short and disappointed their fans and the players on the roster.
It seems that this time the Red Sox aren’t messing around, as FSG and Hal Steinbrenner could go toe-to-toe in a bidding war for Max Fried.
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The Yankees and Red Sox are in dire positions to spend, and the outcome of these sweepstakes could have massive effects on the AL East. If New York can take another ace off the board, suddenly Boston is in a position where it has to either go for Corbin Burnes or trade from their loaded farm system to land a starter on the trade market. Both teams are also in on Garrett Crochet, but Boston would have far more to offer than New York.
If the Red Sox land him, it’s another strikeout for the Yankees in the offseason, and another name who could have helped them pivot from Juan Soto who goes to a direct competitor. In the case of Soto, they won’t see him in the AL, but in the case of Fried, they would see him in the division and have to watch him potentially guide the Red Sox to their first AL East title since 2018, when they won the World Series.
Plenty rides on the outcome of this potential bidding war, and while other teams have checked in on Max Fried, it seems to be a classic Yankees-Red Sox battle for a coveted starter.