The Los Angeles Dodgers will likely sign a starting pitcher or two, but MLB.com predicts they will sign one of the top starters available.
The Dodgers rotation was an issue last season due to injuries, as Los Angeles had to do bullpen games during the playoffs. So, MLB.com predicts the Dodgers will sign Max Fried away from their rival in the Atlanta Braves.
“No pitcher has posted a better ERA over the past half-decade than Fried. His 2.81 ERA since 2020 leads all big league pitchers during that stretch,” the article read. “Fried first established himself as a true ace during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season when he went 7-0 with a 2.25 ERA over 11 starts.
“He’s put up a 3.25 ERA or better in each of the four seasons since, including a 2.48 ERA in 2022 when he finished second in NL Cy Young Award voting. Fried will turn 31 in January, but he’s proven he can be a top-end starter for a contender,” the article added.
Fried went 11-0 with a 3.24 ERA in 29 starts last season with the Braves. In the playoffs, he allowed 5 runs in 2 innings.
Where Would Fried Fit in With The Dodgers?
Fried would help bolster the Dodgers rotation mightily.
Los Angeles ace next season will likely be Yoshinobu Yamamoto but behind him there are questions. Fried could be the Dodgers No. 2 starter and add some insurance should Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, and Dustin May don’t recover as expected from injuries.
Ohtani, of course, won’t be ready to pitch on Openign Day so that means there is already a hole in the rotation.
“Ohtani’s shoulder procedure, fortunately, was to his non-throwing arm, and isn’t expected to have any “big-picture” impact on his ability to pitch next year, according to general manager Brandon Gomes,” Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times wrote.
Since entering the MLB in 2017, Fried is 73-36 with a 3.07 ERA in 168 games. The left-hander is a two-time All-Star and a World Series champion.
What Will Fried’s Contract Look Like?
Fried is turning 31 in January and will get a hefty contract in free agency.
In The Athletic’s contract projection, they have Fried signing a five-year $120 million deal.
“Fried looks quite a bit like Nola as well, plying his trade effectively in the National League East while consistently on the periphery of Cy Young Award consideration. Jordan Zimmermann (last decade) and Kevin Gausman (this decade) are helpful, too,” the article read.
“This sets a narrow range of $25 million to $29 million per season for Fried. Let’s go toward the high end of that for five years,” the article added.
MLBTradeRumors, meanwhile, projects Fried to sign a six-year $156 million.
“Fried doesn’t have the Cy Young Awards of the earlier pitchers on the list, but he has a pair of top-five finishes (including a 2022 runner-up showing) and has been the anchor of Atlanta’s rotation for more than a half decade. He’s all but a lock to post a low-3.00s or upper-2.00s ERA every season, with his earned run average clocking in at 3.25 or lower in each of the past five. Fried has a combined 2.81 ERA in 112 starts in that time,” the article read.
Fried can be the Dodgers No. 2 starter and help solidify the rotation.
