Yankees' $218M star backed by Nationals sportscaster amid Gerrit Cole’s absence
Former Washington Nationals player Kevin Frandsen recently shared his thoughts on New York Yankees pitcher Max Fried stepping up in Gerrit Cole’s absence. Cole underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery, which will sideline him for the entire 2025 season.
Despite losing their ace, the Yankees still have a solid rotation that includes left-hander Max Fried. Other pitchers the team will rely on include Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt, Marcus Stroman, and Will Warren.
In a recent MLB Network interview, former Nationals utility player Kevin Frandsen discussed Max Fried’s potential role as the Yankees' new No. 1 starter, saying:
“For Max Fried, he understands what the pressure of being that guy every fifth day is. It's been a little bit since he's been able to make his, like 30, 32 starts, but fully capable when he's healthy. ... I've always laughed, because you just don't get contracts like this just to get them."
“You deserve them. You've earned it. Now we get to see him really earn it, because I'm not going to sit there and say that he's a bona fide ace, but he's a 1B. And a 1B is a guy that goes out and rides the coattails of the ace who sets the tone.”
The New York Yankees added Max Fried to their roster in December, signing him to an eight-year, $218 million contract, the largest ever for a left-handed pitcher.
Yankees Max Fried opens up about Gerrit Cole’s absence
Last year, Max Fried had a solid season with the Atlanta Braves, posting a 3.25 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP across 29 starts. Fried was eager to play alongside Gerrit Cole and expressed his disappointment over Cole’s season-ending injury, saying (via MLB.com):
“With Gerrit Cole, I really feel for him. It stinks. He’s a competitor and he wants to be out there. He definitely didn’t take this decision lightly. I was really excited to be able to share a dugout and be able to play with him. That will just be delayed a little bit.”
Since making his MLB debut in 2017, Max Fried spent his entire career with the Atlanta Braves, building an impressive resume that includes two All-Star selections, three Gold Glove Awards, and a Silver Slugger Award.