THE YANKEES & RED SOX ABOUT TO FIGHT FOR MAX FRIED

As you know, Max Fried’s time in Atlanta is looking as over as a fried chicken sandwich at lunchtime. Braves fans, brace yourselves—your ace is packing his bags, and his next stop is likely in a city where $200 million contracts flow like sweet tea in the South.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports put it bluntly:

“They haven’t thrown a pitch in more than two months, but their stocks have soared thanks to the contracts given to pitchers whose resumes pale in comparison. When Matthew Boyd receives a 2-year, $29 million contract without throwing more than 79 innings since 2019, when Luis Severino is getting $67 million over three years and Blake Snell is making an average annual salary of $36.4 million, Burnes and Fried should top $200 million.”

Translation? Fried is about to get paid. Like, Scrooge McDuck diving into a vault paid. And why not? His resume is pure gold. Over 168 appearances (151 starts), he’s put up a dazzling 3.07 ERA, a tidy 1.16 WHIP, and racked up 863 strikeouts. Toss in two All-Star nods, three Gold Gloves, and a couple of Cy Young votes—one as the 2022 runner-up—and you’ve got a pitcher who’s not just good. He’s elite.

The Braves? Well, they’re not the Yankees or Red Sox when it comes to free-agent spending sprees. And let’s face it, Fried’s not sticking around for pocket change and a nice thank-you note. Nightengale didn’t hold back here, either:

“Fried priced himself out of Atlanta, but is expected to sign with the Yankees or Red Sox. If Soto goes to the Mets, Fried could find himself in a nice bidding war between the Red Sox and Yankees.”

Bidding war? You better believe it. The Yankees reportedly had a Zoom call with Fried that went “very well.” Translation: they’re already envisioning Fried carving up lineups in pinstripes. Meanwhile, the Red Sox have been hot on his trail from the jump, ready to throw Fenway-sized money at the lefty ace.

For Braves fans, this is a gut punch. Losing Fried stings. But Atlanta’s hands are tied here. Thanks to an offseason market that saw guys like Luis Severino and Blake Snell cash in big, Fried’s price tag rocketed into another stratosphere—one the Braves can’t afford.

Now, if it were up to me (and let’s pretend it is), I’d love to see the Yankees pivot to Corbin Burnes. Why not Burnes, you ask? He’s every bit as good as Fried and would add a Milwaukee-style kick to that rotation. But hey, what do I know? I’m just here for the drama.

For now, all eyes are on Fried and where he’ll land. Yankees or Red Sox? Either way, Braves fans will be watching through their fingers, wishing they could hold onto their ace just a little longer. Meanwhile, Fried is about to dive into a pile of cash that would make even his curveball jealous. Stay tuned.