The Yankees didn’t get what they ultimately wanted, but there’s still time for them to get what they need. Despite their successful October run, the team entered the offseason with several holes on their roster. The starting rotation, which may not have appeared to be one of the holes, now boasts the best staff in the American League with the addition of Max Fried. The eight-year, $218 million deal for Fried was a surprise, but it provides the flexibility to address the offensive void created by losing the Juan Soto sweepstakes.
The debate between Yankees’ writers Deesha Thosar and Rowan Kavner is whether the team is better off without Soto, given the cost of signing him. Thosar notes that the team’s ability to quickly pivot to Fried shows they are moving on from Soto and have a clear plan to improve the roster. Kavner, on the other hand, is surprised by the length of the Fried contract and the risk that comes with it. He questions whether Fried’s recent history of forearm injuries will impact his production in the future.
The Yankees now have a strong starting rotation, with seven potential starters, including Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón, with at least one of Clarke Schmidt, Nestor Cortes, or Marcus Stroman likely to be traded. The team can use their payroll flexibility to bolster the offense, potentially trading for an impact bat like Cody Bellinger. Bellinger’s versatility and left-handed bat would fit well in Yankee Stadium, and the team has room in their budget to sign him even after inking Fried.
While signing Fried alone doesn’t make the Yankees better off without Soto, the team is positioned to make multiple moves to improve their roster. To make a case for being better off without Soto, the team would need to acquire multiple impact bats, potentially including Alex Bregman, Christian Walker, or Teoscar Hernández.
