Former MLB GM floats wild Braves-Yankees trade idea for Max Fried: Would it work?

Former Mets and Orioles general manager Jim Duquette floated a wild trade idea involving Braves ace Max Fried and the New York Yankees.

It’s surprising to say the least that Max Fried’s name has been floated at all in trade talks, as much of that conversation is not coming from the Braves end. Fried is a valued member of Atlanta’s rotation, and though he’s due to make quite a lot of money when he becomes a free agent, that’s unlikely to be until the 2025 offseason.

So, if you’re a team like the Braves which is trying to win now, why would you trade one of the best starting pitchers in the National League two years-plus prior to when he’s scheduled to enter free agency?

Your guess is as good as mine, but former GM Jim Duquette floated a trade idea for Fried, which would send him to The Bronx.

Would the Yankees accept this Max Fried trade?

It’s fair to say the Yankees would make this move, especially if they somehow miss out on Carlos Rodon. New York is favored to land Rodon in free agency, and doing so would give them a front-end starter without giving up their top prospect. While Dominguez and Peraza aren’t Anthony Volpe, they’re still top-100 prospects, with Dominguez ranked at No. 39 and Peraza ranked at No. 50. Peraza is ready to step in at shortstop now, while Dominguez has a bright future and is only 19 years old.

Would the Braves accept this Max Fried trade?

Max Fried has tremendous value on the trade market, especially given his contract. In this case, the Yankees would acquire an ace-level starter without giving up their top shortstop prospect in Anthony Volpe. Peraza has tremendous potential, but Volpe is viewed by scouts as a future All-Star for a reason.

Peraza does give Atlanta an immediate replacement for Dansby Swanson, were they to lose him in free agency. Yet, the Braves have already been working on that end, grooming 21-year-old Vaughn Grissom for the position.

FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray confirmed that the Braves aren’t interested in trading Fried just a few days ago:

“The Braves are in win-now mode and by signing most of their young nucleus to long-term, team-friendly contracts, have payroll flexibility and don’t need to trade Fried. Will they listen? Sure. All teams listen on every player. But a trade is highly unlikely this offseason,” Murray said.

In the end, as much as Duquette tries to fill both teams’ needs, Atlanta is not trading Fried at this juncture. If the two sides struggle to reach a long-term contract, then perhaps the Yankees can revisit such talks.