Max Fried Dominating in Historic Start with Yankees
Left-hander Max Fried has opened the 2025 MLB season in dominant fashion, showcasing not only elite results but machine-like efficiency on the mound.
“His tenure in the Bronx is somewhat overlooked,” MLB Network host Greg Amsinger noted. “He’s been incredibly valuable to their success this year.”
Reporter Jon Morosi echoed that sentiment without hesitation:
“For a rotation missing Gerrit Cole and with Luis Gil experiencing some ups and downs, Max Fried has been the metronome of the Yankees’ season,” Morosi said.
Fried, who signed an eight-year, $218 million deal with the New York Yankees this past offseason, has delivered ace-caliber performances in his first stretch with the team. Through seven starts, he boasts a 6-0 record, a sparkling 1.05 ERA across 51.2 innings, and a league-leading 0.91 WHIP.
“Fried is having, objectively, the best start to a Yankee career of any high-profile acquisition ever,” Morosi added. “Better than Cole, Tanaka, CC, or Mussina through their first seven starts.”
His dominance earned him American League Pitcher of the Month honors for March/April 2025—his second time receiving the award after previously winning in September 2021 with the Atlanta Braves.
Fried is the first Yankee to win the award since Luis Gil in May 2024, and the first Yankees lefty to do so since CC Sabathia in July 2011. He joins a prestigious group of southpaws in franchise history to receive the honor, including Andy Pettitte, Ron Guidry, Tommy John, Jimmy Key, and Dave Righetti.
The Pitching Pulse of the Bronx
Max Fried’s early-season brilliance isn’t going unnoticed. Media outlets have been quick to spotlight the left-hander’s immense value to the Yankees. In a recent column for the New York Post, Greg Joyce dubbed him “the most valuable Yankee,” emphasizing how Fried has effectively “saved” the team amid a stretch of injuries and inconsistency across the pitching staff.
Hall of Fame conversations have already begun to swirl. When the topic arose, Jon Morosi didn’t hesitate, stating Fried is “probably headed” toward Cooperstown.
Fried’s combination of efficiency and durability has anchored the rotation. He’s held opponents to a .187 batting average and is averaging just 12.4 pitches per inning—an elite mark that has kept the Yankees bullpen fresh through a grueling April and May schedule.
He’s also made notable tweaks to his arsenal. His fastball velocity has increased since his Atlanta days, and he’s integrating his curveball more frequently in early counts, disrupting timing and inducing weak contact. Per MLB.com, Fried currently leads the American League in both innings pitched and quality starts.
Fried Setting the Pace
While the Yankees’ offense has been electric—leading MLB in batting average (.258), slugging percentage (.465), and home runs (62)—it’s been the steadiness of Fried that’s kept the team from unraveling amid adversity.
Aaron Judge and Paul Goldschmidt have provided the thunder at the plate, with Judge slashing a staggering .400/.491/.750 and Goldschmidt hitting .341. But Fried’s consistency has been equally critical to New York’s hot start.
“I feel like I’m throwing the ball well,” Fried said. “As far as the results or the ERA—that kind of stuff—I can’t really put a finger on it. I’ve got great teammates making big plays.”
“Just going out there and trying to compete and win games,” he added. “I’m just trying to keep it as simple as that.”
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