Max Fried, one of this year’s premier free agents, has secured a massive eight-year, $218 million deal with the New York Yankees. Fried previously spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Atlanta Braves.
Since becoming a full-time starter in 2019, Fried has established himself as an elite pitcher. While injuries have been a recurring challenge, he’s earned two All-Star selections and twice finished in the top five of the National League Cy Young voting, including a runner-up finish in 2022.
The talented left-hander has delivered exceptional performances when healthy, and his departure is a significant loss for the Philadelphia Phillies, as well as the Braves and the NL East as a whole.
Phillies should be devastated to see Max Fried abandon the Braves
Max Fried delivered another strong season in 2024. The former seventh overall pick posted an 11-10 record with a 3.25 ERA, striking out 166 batters across 174 1/3 innings. He added two complete games to his resume, including a shutout, while holding opposing hitters to a .226 batting average.
So, why would the Phillies feel disappointed to see a dominant pitcher like Fried leave the NL East? Surprisingly, the southpaw hasn’t enjoyed the same level of success against his former divisional rivals.
Over his career, Fried holds a 4-6 record with a 4.04 ERA in 23 appearances against the Phillies. In 2024, he faced them four times, going 0-2 while allowing 22 hits, 13 earned runs, and nine walks across 20 2/3 innings. His last win against Philadelphia came back in 2021.
The Phillies’ ability to hit Fried extended to the postseason as well. In two playoff starts against them, Fried went 0-1, surrendering 14 hits, seven earned runs, and five walks with just five strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings.
Several Phillies hitters, including Alec Bohm, J.T. Realmuto, Trea Turner, and Nick Castellanos, have consistently performed well against Fried. Each boasts a career batting average of .300 or higher against him. Castellanos, in particular, has excelled, batting .478 with only three strikeouts. Meanwhile, Realmuto and Turner have each hit four home runs off Fried.
Despite the Phillies’ success against him, Fried’s departure is still significant for the division. The NL East remains one of the toughest divisions in baseball, with the Phillies, Braves, and New York Mets—who recently acquired superstar Juan Soto—all viewed as World Series contenders. Even if the Phillies had Fried’s number, they’ll benefit from no longer facing a pitcher of his caliber in such a competitive environment.
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