The New York Yankees may have lost out on Juan Soto in free agency, but they are trying to make it up to their fans.
The Yankees and pitcher Max Fried have agreed to an 8-year, $218 million deal in free agency. That is the largest deal ever for a left-handed pitcher. This is also the second time recently that the Yankees have sprung for a left-handed pitcher.
Two years ago, the team signed Carlos Rodon to a 6-year, $162 million deal. Though Rodon struggled with injuries in 2023 and had a 6.85 ERA, he bounced back in 2024 and went 16-9 with a 3.96 ERA. The way Rodon has pitched may have convinced the Yankees that the way to continue building and fighting back is to add another good pitcher — especially a lefty.
Fried has gone 73-36 with a 3.07 ERA in his career, which has all been spent with the Atlanta Braves. The 30-year-old is a two-time All-Star and has made at least 28 starts four times in his career.
The combination of Rodon, Fried and Nestor Cortes will give the Yankees some of the toughest southpaws in MLB. Combine them with Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt, and the Yankees’ rotation should have them contending for a title.
At a time when many teams are afraid to give long-term contracts to pitchers, the Yankees are showing they are not only not afraid to buck the trend, but that they also see it as a path to building a strong team.
