The pressure is at an all-time high for the Boston Red Sox on the free-agent market.
Having largely sat out the last two offseasons in terms of big-name signings, the Red Sox have thrust themselves back into the spotlight this winter. By entering the high-stakes Juan Soto sweepstakes, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is essentially declaring that the Red Sox expect to make a splash.
Whether Boston does or does not land Soto, the number-one need this winter is still starting pitching. And with Blake Snell already off the market thanks to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Red Sox only have a couple big names left to choose from.
Fortunately, one of those big names seems like an all-around perfect fit: Max Fried of the Atlanta Braves.
Recently, Andy McCullough of The Athletic predicted that Fried would sign with the Red Sox this winter. The same publication currently projects the two-time All-Star lefty for a five-year, $140 million contract.
"You can make a case for Fried over Corbin Burnes and Blake Snell. Over the past three seasons, Fried has posted a lower ERA (2.80) than Burnes and Snell. He has thrown more innings than Snell and with a better strikeout-to-walk ratio. His approach is based on generating soft contact rather than swings and misses," McCullough said.
"Fried comes with health concerns. He missed a good chunk of time in 2023 and a few starts in 2024 as he dealt with a forearm issue. But when he takes the mound, Fried tends to be excellent."
Fried will turn 31 in January, and his once-spotless bill of health has taken some dents the last two seasons. But there's no denying the success he's had in his career, sporting a 3.07 lifetime ERA and 73-36 overall record.
Slotting Fried into the top spot of the rotation would make life a lot easier for the Red Sox in 2024. But other teams will want to do the same, so Breslow must act with urgency if he wants to make sure Fried is in a Boston uniform by Opening Day.
