Yankees must hope Max Fried outperforms other coveted free agent they missed

Signing Max Fried did wonders for the New York Yankees' roster. It gave them a star-studded 1-2 rotation punch they were supposed to have when they brought in Carlos Rodón after the 2022 season. And speaking of Rodón, he's in a great position to benefit from Fried's addition.

Fried also helps the Yankees' run prevention, which is convenient because the offense was hardly upgraded. As for the rest of the pitching staff, what's now regarded as a top bullpen will (hopefully) be well-rested throughout the year with another elite arm eating up innings.

But there's an unfortunate layer to this signing, and it's that Fried will be judged alongside Blake Snell, who signed a five-year, $182 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers right when the offseason began. Why is that the case? Because, well, it's Yankees vs. Dodgers. That always sells. And so does the narrative that they're coming off a World Series matchup.

More specifically, however, is the fact the Yankees were interested in Snell first but couldn't close a deal. It all started last offseason, when they tried to get the left-hander at a discount. No other team was presenting long-term offers, so the Yankees swooped in and dangled $150 million. It all dragged out in infuriating fashion, and Snell eventually signed a high AAV one-year deal with the San Francisco Giants — something the Yankees weren't willing to do.

Blake Snell vs. Max Fried narrative will persist for Yankees this season

Then came this offseason. The Yankees were hoping to re-engage with Snell again, but the Juan Soto holdup reportedly prevented them from doing so. That left a lane open for the Dodgers to come in with an attractive offer just weeks after their championship.

"Yankees general manager Brian Cashman explicitly told agent Scott Boras that he was unable to offer a contract to his client Blake Snell at the time because Soto (another Boras client) was still available," wrote Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. "Cashman needed to see how Soto’s decision would impact the team’s finances before figuring out the rest of the offseason."

When all was said and done, the Yankees lost Soto, and they were unacceptably far behind in repairing their roster that had just won the AL. At this point, it feels like the Yankees let many moves pass them by as they try to "figure out the money" by refusing to properly project what might happen. Instead, they typically sit around and "hope" something gets done without a guarantee and don't allow themselves to be flexible. It all falls in line with the luxury tax gymnastics they partake in almost every offseason.

That put them in a position to, what some might say, "overpay" Fried, who received an eight-year, $218 million contract, the largest ever for a left-handed starter. We're not criticizing the deal; it was absolutely one the Yankees had to make, given their options. But it was one they had to make because of the position they put themselves in.

Fried is an exceptional talent, and one any team would be lucky to have. Fans are optimistic about his future Yankees career, and are especially excited about 2025-2028 while he works alongside the remainder of Cole's contract. It's likely going to be premier television.

But just remember, if things don't go as planned, there will be a side-by-side comparison if Snell is out-performing Fried and/or if the Dodgers are in a better position than the Yankees as 2025 unfolds. So Cashman and the front office better hope the Plan B (pivoting to pitching after Soto's departure) of the Plan B (Fried, after Snell got signed) ends up at least keeping pace with the Dodgers' aggression.