Max Fried DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Free-agent left-hander Max Fried and the New York Yankees agreed to an eight-year, $218 million deal on Tuesday, pending a physical, according to sources. It becomes the largest guarantee in baseball history for a left-handed pitcher and sends Fried from the National League East with the Atlanta Braves to the American League East. Fried will not have any deferred money and won't be able to opt out of the contract. Although injuries have set back the 30-year-old southpaw before, the Yankees were willing to take the risk because of Fried's ace potential when healthy. The two-time All-Star has a career 3.07 ERA (3.29 FIP), a 1.16 WHIP and 23.9% strikeout rate in his eight big-league seasons (all in Atlanta). He has made at least 28 starts in four of the last five full seasons but he also has topped 180 innings just once. The move to the AL East won't be easy, but Fried's ground-ball tendencies in the Bronx should help.

Free-agent left-hander Max Fried, the top remaining lefty starter on the open market this offseason, is expected to choose his next team by this Thursday, according to major-league sources briefed on the talks. The finalists for Fried's services figures to be the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays out of the American League East. Those three teams are also believed to be going after free-agent right-hander Corbin Burnes. The Texas Rangers are also in on Fried, but it's uncertain if they have the ability to invest heavily. Fried, a two-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and former World Series champion, is expected to command a deal for five to six years at 30 years old. The Yankees are "all over" Fried after failing to re-sign outfielder Juan Soto, according to one source with knowledge of the talks. If healthy, Fried has the ability to be a fantasy ace, although a move to the AL East could be tough.

While the Yankees are still considered one of the four serious contenders to sign Juan Soto, they have been making alternative plans in the event they are unable to bring back the superstar outfielder. New York has been said to be interested in shortstop Willy Adames, but could also be willing to spend big on pitching, having recently conducted meetings with star pitchers Max Fried and Corbin Burnes. Left-hander Fried earned his second All-Star nomination in 2024, pitching to a 3.25 ERA (3.33 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with a 15.3% K-BB% in 29 starts. Right-hander Burnes, a Cy Young winner in 2021, made his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance in 2024, posting a 2.92 ERA (3.55 FIP) and a 1.10 WHIP with a 17.0% K-BB% in 32 starts. Either one would fortify a strong rotation that already has former Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole, 2x All-Star Carlos Rodon, and 2024 AL Rookie of the Year winner Luis Gil. Although neither pitcher averaged a strikeout per inning last season, both are capable of doing so and will still be some of the earliest pitchers off the board in 2025 fantasy drafts.

With the Los Angeles Dodgers signing left-hander Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million deal on Tuesday night, USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale reports that the Boston Red Sox are now focusing on free-agent lefty Max Fried to upgrade their starting rotation this offseason. In addition to Fried, the BoSox are reportedly upping their efforts to land free-agent superstar outfielder Juan Soto, so Boston appears to be quite serious about opening up their wallet this winter. Fried, who has been an All-Star for the Atlanta Braves in two of the last three seasons, bounced back health-wise in 2024 to go 11-10 with a 3.25 ERA (3.33 FIP), a 1.16 WHIP and 166:57 K:BB in 174 1/3 innings over 29 regular-season starts. Fried isn't a huge strikeout guy and relies more on inducing ground balls, so a move to a bad defensive team in the Red Sox in the tough AL East might not be the best landing spot for fantasy purposes.

The Atlanta Braves extended a $21.05 million qualifying offer to free-agent left-hander Max Fried on Monday, according to sources. If Fried rejects the offer and signs with another club this offseason, the Braves will receive draft-pick compensation. Fried has pitched in Atlanta in all eight of his big-league seasons, compiling a nice 3.07 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP and 23.9 percent strikeout rate in 884 1/3 regular-season innings over 168 appearances (151 starts). The 30-year-old southpaw is fully expected to reject the qualifying offer and test out free agency. The Braves would love to have him back, but Fried could quickly get priced out of Atlanta's price range for a starter on the open market. The two-time All-Star has been bit by the injury bug in the past, but when healthy, he's one of the better top-of-the-rotation starters in baseball.