Outside of Aaron Judge, there may have been no player more key to the success of the New York Yankees' 2025 season than left-hander Max Fried.
After signing an eight-year, $218 million contract with the Yankees, Fried assumed the role of the ace of the pitching staff.
"Fried was an All-Star for the third time in his career, won his fourth Gold Glove Award, and finished fourth in AL Cy Young Award voting after going 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA across a career-high 195.1 innings pitched," Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly wrote Thursday.
"In a year where the Yankees didn't have Gerrit Cole because he was recovering from Tommy John surgery, Fried stepped up and had a Cole-esque season."
Kelly gave the Yankees an A- grade for the Fried signing, though the 31-year-old did struggle in the ALDS.
Why didn't Fried receive an A grade?
Following a Game 1 loss in the ALDS against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Yankees needed Fried to pitch like an ace on the road in Game 2.
It didn't work out as he or New York had hoped, as he allowed seven earned runs in three innings. Fried hopes he can have improved outings in next year's postseason, if the Yankees make it that far.
Naturally, there are concerns about Fried's ability to maintain a similar level of performance as he ages.
"The only reason this is an A- as opposed to A or A+ is that Fried is entering his age-32 season and still has seven years left on his contract," wrote Kelly. "There's a chance that the end of this pact doesn't go great, though the first season was tremendous."
More MLB news:
- Team USA's projected WBC lineup is incredible
- Dominican Republic's projected WBC lineup is fierce
- Red Sox are paying Manny Ramirez same 2026 salary as Dodgers are paying Shohei Ohtani
- Phillies have a secret weapon for signing Bo Bichette
- MLB looking at realignment into East-West arrangement
- Hunter Pence's nephew has the best name and a 100 MPH fastball