The free agent pitching market has finally started picking up. Yusei Kikuchi signed a three-year, $63 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels on Monday. That's one major domino to fall among the top free agent starters available.
Max Fried is still on the market, but who knows for how much longer? The MLB Winter Meetings are coming up soon and that's when a lot of things can change.
Virtually every contender will be vying for his services next season, including the league's richest teams. However, this also means the Evil Empire from New York is also interested in what Max Fried has to offer.
MLB insider links New York Yankees to former Braves starter Max Fried
USA Today's Bob Nightengale linked the Yankees as potential suitors for Max Fried. However, the Yankees are assumed interested in every major free agent each offseason.
Right now, their focus is on re-signing Juan Soto for the 2025 season, but if the New York Yankees don’t re-sign him, they are expected to pivot. Nightengale mentioned a few different options for New York, including Christian Walker, WIlly Adames (also linked to Atlanta), Alex Bregman, and Cody Bellinger.
He then mentions that the team may then use their remaining funds to sign one of Max Fried, Corbin Burnes, and Blake Snell. Fried would fit the Yankees rotation well and they'd be willing to give him a long-term deal despite the injury history that follows Max.
Take a bow, No. 54. pic.twitter.com/edMvZEvaZK
— Braves On FanDuel Sports Network (@FanDuelSNBraves) September 28, 2024
However, the wrinkle in this plan is that Max Fried probably doesn't want to sit around and wait for New York to finish their push for Juan Soto. He likely wants to go ahead and prepare for next season. There are other teams who are very serious about adding Fried that could use this situation to their advantage.
Max fits the mold of what the Yankees typically go for but my feeling is that Max will sign elsewhere. The Red Sox are very high on Max Fried and desperately want to add quality starting pitching. It would be wonderful if the Braves could find a way to bring him back but it feels like he's going to be with one of the Dodgers, Mets, Red Sox, Orioles, or Phillies next season.