Max Fried’s Frenzy Ends in Heartbreak for Orioles Fans: Yankees Snatch Top Target, Dealing a Blow to Batilmore’s Offseason Hopes
The Baltimore Orioles have lost out on a potential free agent target in Atlanta Braves ace Max Fried, who was seen as a possible replacement for Corbin Burnes if he winds up elsewhere.
To make matters worse, Fried winds up agreeing to a deal with one of the Orioles’ most hated rivals in the New York Yankees and should add a tremendous boost to the rotation of the defending American League champions.
As reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the deal between New York and the lefty is for eight years and worth $218 million.
Fried signing elsewhere — though he appeared to be between the Yankees and Red Sox as he came to the end of his process — puts Baltimore in an interesting spot for a few reasons.
For one, the numbers given to both Blake Snell and Fried are likely bigger than anyone anticipated the pair getting, which puts Baltimore in a tough spot if they still want to try to retain Burnes. The number that Burnes is going to command is only going up further with him and Fried the same age and Burnes the more decorated ace.
The hope surrounding Fried being linked to the Orioles was that he would be a cheaper alternative if Burnes’ number did get out of hand, which it now seems all but guaranteed to do. This could be looked at as a positive as both the Dodgers with Snell and the Yankees with Fried are two big fish likely removed from the Burnes sweepstakes, but that won’t stop Boston from coming in with an offer to blow away the 2021 Cy Young winner.
Ultimately, the big takeaway here is that the market has been set. And for a Baltimore team that it was always going to be difficult to bring back their best player and hottest commodity in Burnes, that market has not been set an an ideal level.
No matter whether Burnes stays or goes, the number he will wind up signing at is going to be staggering.
