DALLAS — The Max Fried sweepstakes appear set to conclude with an AL East tug of war between the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.
Fried, the top remaining left-handed starter on the free-agent market, is expected to choose his next team by Thursday, according to major-league sources briefed on the negotiations.
Corbin Burnes, the top free-agent right-handed starter, is believed to be generating interest among the same three AL East clubs, and perhaps the San Francisco Giants and other teams.
The Texas Rangers also remain in the mix for Fried, but it is unclear whether they can invest heavily in a free agent while awaiting clarity on their future local media revenue.
Fried, a two-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove Award winner and 2021 World Series champion with the Atlanta Braves, is expected to command a deal of five to six years. At 30, he is slightly more than a year younger than left-hander Blake Snell, who recently agreed to a five-year, $182 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Yankees, considering a wide variety of rotation, bullpen and lineup options after losing the bidding for free-agent outfielder Juan Soto to the New York Mets, are “all over” Fried, according to one source with knowledge of their discussions. The Blue Jays, who remain desperate to make a splash, and Red Sox, who are in dire need of a left-handed starter, also were shut out on Soto.
Some club officials with East Coast teams fear that Fried, a native of Southern California, would prefer to sign with a team out west. But of the potential bidders, the Giants are not among the finalists for him, league sources said. Nor are the Los Angeles Angels, who occasionally are a wild card under owner Arte Moreno.
Fried, an eight-year veteran, has a career 3.07 ERA in 884 1/3 innings, all with the Braves.
— The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty, Will Sammon and Katie Woo contributed to this report.
(Top photo of Max Fried: Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images)
