Yankees Start Their Juan Soto Pivot, Agree To Massive Deal With Max Fried

It's been a rough month and a half for fans of the New York Yankees. First, the Yankees lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games, including a brutal collapse in the fifth inning of game five. Then they lost out on superstar outfielder Juan Soto to the rival New York Mets. 

But not signing Soto for well over $700 million freed up a lot of available salary for other players, and on Tuesday afternoon, the Yankees started using it.

Per several reports, New York signed free agent starting pitcher Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million deal, the largest contract for a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball history.

That's quite a pivot from Soto. But is it a wise one?

ATLANTA - Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried (54) tips his hat to the crowd after being removed from a game against the Kansas City Royals in the ninth inning at Truist Park on Sept. 27, 2024. Photo: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Max Fried Solidifies New York Yankees Rotation

Entering the offseason, the Yankees needed starting pitching. Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt, Luis Gil and Nestor Cortes represented an above-average rotation, but one with plenty of question marks. Gil fell off after a blistering start to his rookie season, Cole missed time with an arm injury, and Rodon and Schmidt have been inconsistent in recent years.

Fried has been one of the best pitchers in baseball since 2019, with a career-best 4.9 Fangraphs WAR in 2022 and lifetime 3.07 ERA with nearly nine strikeouts per nine innings.

Still, this deal makes the Dodgers' Blake Snell contract seem like a bargain. Snell, with two Cy Young Awards, got "just" five years and $182 million. But that $182 million included $66 million in deferred salary, making it much lower by present day value.

Eight years is a long guarantee for a pitcher, particularly one entering his age-31 season. Fried's contract includes no deferred money, and because he received a qualifying offer from the Braves, he'll cost the Yankees a draft pick too. 

He makes New York better, without question. But the back end of this contract could prove costly. Being rational on every free agent means finishing third though, and the Yankees are at least showing their fans they aren't simply pocketing the Soto savings, they're going for it while their core still can.