The Yankees signed Gerrit Cole to the largest guaranteed contract for a pitcher in MLB history five years ago, and now, they have the largest guarantee for a southpaw.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Yankees and former Braves lefty Max Fried have agreed to an eight-year, $218 million deal, which is the largest guarantee for a left-hander in MLB history. Per Bob Nightengale, there are no deferrals or opt-outs, so it will be $27.25 million per year AAV and he will be a Yankee through his age 38 season.
Fried, who turns 30 in January, was 11-10 with a 3.25 ERA in 2024, with 166 strikeouts in 174 1/3 innings over 29 starts. He also made a start in the Wild Card Series, allowing eight runs over two innings, but advanced analytics had him in the 95th percentile in MLB with an 86.3 MPH average exit velocity against, and his 59.2 percent ground ball rate ranked in the 96th percentile.
He does have a history of injuries, as he missed a few starts this year with a forearm issues, made just 11 starts in 2023 due to a trio of different issues (including a forearm strain), and has a history of blisters – however, he had a 3.07 ERA in 168 games (151 starts) in eight years in Atlanta, that ERA the third-best all-time behind Maddux and Spahn among Braves pitchers with at least 150 starts with the club.
Cole’s deal was surpassed last offseason by Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s deal with the Dodgers, but they now have the No. 2 and No. 4 all-time deals for pitchers in their rotation – with another lefty, Carlos Rodon and his $162 million deal, in there as well.
The Yankees have seven bona fide starters now, with Marcus Stroman, AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, and Nestor Cortes at the back end – and now, rumors will surely pop up of the Yankees perhaps attempting to trade at least one of those in a deal to shore up other needs, possibly including previous rumors of Kyle Tucker for the outfield, Cody Bellinger for center field or first base, or Nolan Arenado at third.