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The New York Yankees finally resumed their place atop the American League throne in October, but external pressure and displeasure remains fairly high this offseason. Plenty of fans believe the franchise simply did what it was supposed to– conquer the AL Central and reach the World Series for the first time since 2009.
The sloppy and excruciating manner in which the team lost the Fall Classic to the Los Angeles Dodgers, along with Aaron Judge's continued playoff shortcomings, squandered much of the good will it stored up in 2024. If the Yankees lose Juan Soto to one of their rivals, the conflicted feelings suffusing The Bronx could quickly morph into a tsunami of indignation. Though, maybe the signing of another big-time free agent would lessen the sting a little.
New York had a 90-minute Zoom call with left-handed starting pitcher Max Fried on Tuesday and is seemingly in line to meet with him again in the future, according to Michael Kay.
“Somebody who's on the Fried side said that Max really really liked them and apparently they're going to have another meeting as well,” the Yankees play-by-play broadcaster and ESPN Radio host said on Wednesday. This organization is not accustomed to losing bidding wars, so, in the event that Soto signs elsewhere, management will presumably be motivated to regroup and make a big splash.
Max Fried is a proven talent who can thrive with the Yankees
Fried will not exude the pizazz that the five-time Silver Slugger does, but he can bring critical stability to New York's pitching rotation. The two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner has tallied a 3.07 ERA in 884 1/3 innings for the Atlanta Braves. Aaron Boone's starting staff is usually devoid of such consistency, as the unit tends to become a question mark later in the year.
Max Fried is a possible solution to any depth concerns. He is an ideal option to trot out behind 2023 Cy Young Gerrit Cole. Despite an overall poor postseason record (2-5 with a 5.10 ERA in 20 appearances), the 30-year-old southpaw boasts valuable experience. Assuming he can stay healthy, this superbly skilled pitcher has the ability to better prepare the Yankees for another World Series showdown.
But there is a long way to go before an introductory press conference can be planned. Fried and the other desirable free agents are incentivized to wait until Juan Soto signs. It is obvious, though, that the AL champions are eager to climb the final step to the mountaintop.
