Max Fried thought concerning the canine days when requested how he’ll spend his fortune.
No, not these scorching, humid summer season afternoons however moderately time with Apollo, his 3-year-old mutt.
“I think the first thing that kind of popped into my mind was probably just like getting my dog a bunch of dog food,” Fried mentioned Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, a day after finalizing a $218 million, eight-year contract that’s the richest for a left-handed pitcher.
Not almost as well-known as Decoy Ohtani, Shohei’s Nederlandse kooikerhondje, Apollo figures to get extra of a highlight subsequent season. Fried named the pooch after the Greek god, not pondering at first of the similarity to the title of the antagonist within the first two “Rocky” films.
“It just happened to line up that his name is Apollo Fried, so it sounds like Apollo Creed,” Fried mentioned, “so I took that and ran with it like I did it in purpose.”
After eight seasons in Atlanta that included a World Sequence title in 2021 through which he pitched six scoreless innings in opposition to Houston within the Sport 6 clincher, Fried joins a rotation at present projected to incorporate Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt and Marcus Stroman.
Fried by no means anticipated to wind up within the Bronx.
“I was fairly surprised at the beginning, but when the Yankees say that they’re interested in you perk up and you listen,” he mentioned. “You just know the standard that the Yankees hold and putting on the pinstripes there’s a certain responsibility and expectation that comes with that, and I’m extremely excited to take that on.”
Fried observed the messaging when he walked by way of the clubhouse final week.
“There’s three words that were put on — up on the wall and it’s prepare, compete and win,” he said. “To me as a competitor and just to me as a core, as a player, it really resonated with me.”
In New York’s quest to win the World Sequence for the primary time since 2009, basic supervisor Brian Cashman shortly pivoted to plan B after the Yankees misplaced outfielder Juan Soto to the rival Mets. New York additionally acquired nearer Devin Williams from Milwaukee and outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs.
“A lot of people have worn these pinstripes and there’s a certain feel,” Fried mentioned. “I’m excited about being able to put the pinstripes on in Yankee Stadium for the Yankees. It’s one of the most storied, winning franchises in sports and I want to be able to kind of do my part.”
Fried receives a $20 million signing bonus, half payable on Jan. 31 and the remaining on Jan. 31, 2026. He will get salaries of $12 million in every of the primary two seasons and $29 million in every of the remaining six. He has a full no-trade provision.
Boone cited a connection throughout an preliminary Zoom assembly and thought again to an outing when Fried beat the Yankees in Atlanta.
“You kind of see him in there and soft spoken and kind of articulate and reserved, but this is a guy that’s kind of tenacious between the lines,” he mentioned. “I was like, man, this guy’s just kind of cutting us up and doing it in a lot of different ways.”
A two-time All-Star, Fried has been on the injured listing 10 occasions since 2018, together with thrice for blisters and twice for strained hamstrings.
“Being down in the South, in Atlanta with the humid summers, probably didn’t help as far as just blisters,” he mentioned. “The medical staff down there was fantastic in being able to help me figure out a routine that kinds of works and be able to kind of mitigate all that.”
Fried was 54-25 with a 2.81 ERA with 5 full video games and 4 shutouts in 112 begins over the previous 5 seasons. He was amongst solely three pitchers to throw two full video games this 12 months, when there have been simply 16 within the main leagues.
A 3-time Gold Glove winner who turns 31 on Jan. 18, Fried has one of many broadest repertoires within the main leagues, throwing seven completely different pitches. He averaged 93.9 mph this 12 months along with his fastball, which he threw 33.6% of the time. Fried combined in 21% curveballs, 15.6% sinkers, 13.6% changeups, 5.9% sweepers, 5.6% sliders and 4.7% cutters.
He was 11-10 with a 3.25 ERA over 29 begins this 12 months, placing out 166 and strolling a career-high 57 in 174 1/3 innings.
“There’s a stage of improvability going ahead simply with how the arsenal type of will be crafted and pulled aside, and there’s some room to evolve with us,” pitching coach Matt Blake mentioned.
