It was only a matter of time, wasn't it? Max Fried's first postseason outing with the New York Yankees, which came in the AL Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox, went about as well as Aaron Boone could've hoped. Fried was untouchable, and Boone took him out far too soon. The Red Sox came back to win Game 1, but the Yankees managed to survive that setback and advance to the ALDS against the AL East champion Toronto Blue Jays.
Max Fried could not back up one good start with another. In desperate need of a Game 2 victory, Boone and the Yankees turned to Fried in enemy territory. Fried's appearance didn't go according to plan, as he gave up five runs in the first three innings. The Yankees lost in blowout fashion on Saturday, as well. When tasked with stopping the bleeding, Fried failed miserably, just as he has many times before.
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.
Why did the Braves let Max Fried go in the first place?
The Braves made Max Fried a competitive offer, but ultimately let him walk because of their pitching depth. The Yankees ended up signing Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract, which was far beyond Alex Anthopoulos was willing to go in both years and average annual value. Anthopoulos is allergic to signing pitchers long-term after the age of 30, and Fried is 31 years old. The Yankees are banking on that deal aging well, especially because Fried isn't a pitcher who relies heavily on his velocity.
Atlanta, when healthy, also does not need Fried. I cannot stress enough just how many pitching injuries the Braves suffered this season to cement their fate as postseason pretenders. The Braves never stood a chance considering Spencer Strider was coming off Tommy John surgery, Chris Sale (who won the NL Cy Young in 2024) missed the majority of the season, Spencer Schwellenbach fractured his elbow and Reynaldo Lopez missed time with right shoulder inflammation and more. The Braves rotation was a curse last season, and they should be set up quite well to succeed next year without Fried in the fold – assuming they can stay healthy.
Max Fried's postseason struggles are well-documented
Fried was brutal in his Game 2 start, but the Yankees can't say they didn't see this coming. His postseason history doesn't belong on the back of a baseball card – in fact, it's something the Yankees would prefer to hide moving forward. Sure, Fried pitched well against a lackluster Red Sox lineup, but when faced with a real challenge in Toronto he reverted back to his old ways. Let's take a look at the numbers.
Fried entered his start against the Red Sox with a career 5.51 postseason ERA. This isn't due to a shortage of opportunities – Fried has pitched in 21 playoff games. While he has a few gems to his name, most notably against the Dodgers in 2021 and the Red Sox in the Wild Card round, there's been enough poor outings to create a narrative. That narrative all but confirms the Yankees can't trust Fried – who they, again, gave $218 million – when the games matter most. That's a problem!
Verdict: Braves had every reason to move on from Max Fried
One start doesn't determine Fried's fate, but if Sunday showed us anything, it's that the Braves had their reasons for moving off the former ace in the first place. Fried cannot be depended upon in the season, and pitches to contact. Considering the rest of the Atlanta rotation can pitch around contact and, when healthy (again), is downright filthy, you can't blame Anthopoulos for not signing Fried to THAT deal which would've paid him until he was almost 40.
The Yankees gave Fried a deal he couldn't turn down. He signed it, and I don't blame him in the slightest. What we can blame Fried for is not coming through when his team needed him most. That's why he makes all that money, isn't it?