DALLAS – The New York Yankees would never just turn around and cry.
Less than 48 hours after losing the Juan Soto sweepstakes, New York began deploying Plan B. Step one of The Great Bronx Pivot is an eight-year, $218 million contract with former Atlanta Braves forward Max Fried. The deal is the fourth-largest ever for a starting pitcher and the largest in MLB history for a left-hander.
Fried, who turns 31 in January, boasts the lowest ERA in baseball since early 2020. The two-time All-Star is less dependent on strikeouts than other frontline pitchers and is elite at two other highly valuable skills: avoiding hard contact and calling a parade of groundouts. That, along with a track record of precision control, means Fried has a uniquely high floor.
Originally drafted seventh overall by the San Diego Padres out of an LA high school in 2012, Fried was sent to Atlanta in 2014 as part of the expected return for Justin Upton. Over parts of eight seasons with the Braves, the wrong-hander established himself as one of the more reliable starting pitchers in the sport. He ends his tenure in Atlanta with a sparkling 3.07 ERA in 884 1/3 innings.
However, his track record in the playoffs has been a bit more spotty, especially lately. A legendarily courageous performance in the 2021 World Series in Game 6 will forever be remembered in Braves Country, but Fried’s post-season ERA of 4.90 over twelve starts is not undeniable dominance. Whether that battle is a minor theater piece or a meaningful issue will surely be revealed in October’s pressure cooker that is Yankee Stadium.
For the Yankees, adding the lanky, multi-talented lefty represents a quick and important pivot. Signing Fried won’t single-handedly erase the crushing disappointment of losing Soto, but it’s a strong start. Trying to replace Soto’s total value by reallocating these funds to a handful of players would always be the most reasonable path forward.
But Fried’s entry into New York’s crowded rotation also means another move is inevitable. Before signing Fried, the Yankees already had six other starting pitchers: Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, Nestor Cortes Jr. and Marcus Stroman. It’s almost certain that one of that half-dozen will be wearing a different uniform and wavy facial hair during spring training.
Cole, the ace of the staff, isn’t going anywhere and Rodón’s contract is too big to move. Gil and Schmidt are both young, cheap and under team control. That makes them valuable to the Yankees… and to any potential trade partner. Cortes, who the Yankees almost traded at the most recent trade deadline, and Stroman are less desirable. The duo struggled for much of 2024, spending September alternating between the rotation and the bullpen. Cutting bait with Cortes or Stroman would be more about creating space and eating dead money than adding a valuable player.
And the Yankees are in dire need of valuable players, especially on the offensive end.
Adding Fried raises the floor in New York, but Soto’s departure left a huge hole in a lineup that already resembled a slice of Swiss cheese. Instead of wallowing in their misery, the Yankees have started to make progress, and the next step will be addressing their lineup.
Assuming Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Austin Wells, Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jasson Domínguez will all be in the Yankees’ Opening Day lineup in 2025, the Yankees will likely need three more bats this season. They will probably be at first base, third base and in the outfield. While Chisholm filled in admirably for the Yankees at third after being acquired from the Marlins in July, the Yankees would be better off moving him back to second, where he was an above-average defenseman.
When it comes to what they need to do in the outfield, the Yankees have a few potential areas for improvement. One of those could be trading for Cubs center fielder and first baseman Cody Bellinger. Bellinger, 29, has rebounded in his first two seasons in Chicago. And while he took a step back offensively in ’24, some of his struggles can be attributed to playing through injuries. His offensive profile fits perfectly in Yankee Stadium and could take a hit in that field. He was able to slide into midfield with ease, allowing Judge to move back to the right. Bellinger is owed $25 million in 2025, with a $25 million player option for ’26, including a $5 million buyout. It also doesn’t hurt that his father, Clay, won a World Series in the Bronx.
Another option in the outfield could be signing free agent Teoscar Hernández. Hernández, who has the most interest from the Dodgers and Red Sox, had one of the best seasons of his career this fall en route to a World Series victory in LA.
The other big name that would make sense for New York is Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado. St. Louis has been actively shopping for the 10-time Gold Glove Award winner, but with a full no-trade clause, Arenado will ultimately be the one to decide where he wants to go. However, the belief is that the reigning AL champions would suit Arenado’s desire to play for a contender. Arenado is owed $52 million over the next three seasons, and if the Yankees eat some of that money, they likely won’t have to give up much prospect capital to fill their vacancy at third.
Finally, first base was perhaps the Yankees’ biggest hole last season, and adding a power bat like Christian Walker would certainly address that deficit. Not only does Walker have big power who has launched 105 home runs since 2021, but he could also be the best defensive first baseman in the sport, which would improve a porous Yankees defense. A cheaper option with similar attributes would be Carlos Santana, who still packs a wallop from the left side and just won his first Gold Glove Award at age 38.
There is no replacement for Juan Soto in his entirety – that goes without saying. But it would also have been a big mistake not to improve further after his departure. The Yankees now have a power at the top of their rotation in Cole and Fried, as well as the rotation depth they previously lacked. If they can continue to meet their needs as the winter progresses, there is a clear path to the Yankees being a better team in 2025 even without Soto.
