Max Fried is the top left-handed pitcher still available on the free agent market, and it sounds like the Yankees are making quite the push to land him, with a decision expected soon.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Fried is expected to choose his next team by Thursday, and the Yankees are “all over” him.
Per Rosenthal, the Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays are in a “tug of war” over the lefty, with the Texas Rangers also still in the mix.
Fried, who turns 31 in January, has been dominant during his eight seasons with the Atlanta Braves, pitching to a 3.07 ERA with a 1.164 WHIP and 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings.
Aside from just being a workhorse on the mound – he’s thrown 165+ innings four times, including three of the last four seasons – he’s also one of the best in baseball at fielding his position, winning the NL Gold Glove in 2021 and 2022.
Adding Fried would give the Yankees more firepower at the top of their rotation, which is currently headlined by Gerrit Cole and the volatile Carlos Rodon. The rotation will also likely include Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt, with Nestor Cortes and Marcus Stroman also in the conversation.