Surprise team could already be a 'favorite' to land Max Fried this offseason
By Austin Owens
Prior to the start of the 2024 MLB season, left-handed starting pitcher Max Fried and the Atlanta Braves agreed on a one-year, $15 million deal. Perhaps the contract only lasting for one year was an early indication that this season would be Fried's last in Atlanta.
Max Fried will be 31 years of age and an unrestricted free agent at the end of this year. He has put up impressive career numbers that will have many general managers ready to open their checkbooks should he test free agency.
Since 2017 when he entered the league, Max Fried is 69-31 with a 3.04 ERA and has six complete games, including 4 complete game shutouts. The two-time All-Star seems to be a perfect target for the Los Angeles Dodgers or New York Yankees (two teams that like to spend a lot of money). However, the team that may be the current favorites to land Max Fried this offseason may come as a surprise.
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Could the Texas Rangers land Max Fried?
After winning the World Series in 2023, the Texas Rangers have struggled to maintain that level of success in 2024. The Rangers are currently 52-57 and sit 4.5 games out in the American League West division.
Texas has a team ERA of 4.15 going into Friday night's matchup against the Boston Red Sox. No doubt this will be an area for improvement this off-season and it could start with signing Max Fried.
The Rangers acquired all-star Max Scherzer in a trade with the New York Mets in 2023. Scherzer has spent a lot of time on the IL this season while getting paid $12.5 million from the Rangers. With Scherzer becoming an unrestricted free agent at season's end, the Texas Rangers will have an empty rotation spot to fill.
Bleacher Report predicts that the Rangers could have a legitimate chance at signing Max Fried whose expected contract will be for six years, $170 million. If this is indeed the deal that Fried is looking for, it is unlikely the Braves will exceed 5 years on a deal for a 31-year-old. Max Scherzer has not panned out the way Rangers fans thought he would but maybe Max Fried can come to Texas in 2025 and give the Rangers what they're looking for.
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