MLB 2025 Opening Day: 100 players to watch out for ahead of new season | Max Fried, No. 100

Max Fried is in the spotlight as the MLB season gets nearer and nearer. There are 100 days remaining before the Opening Day, which comes a little sooner thanks to baseball's trip to Japan in late March.

Until Opening Day, Sportskeeda will count down with featured players, highlighting what they've done in the past and some expectations for how they'll do in 2025. Fried comes in as the first, or 100th, player on the list.

Fried signed the largest contract in MLB history for a left-handed pitcher in free agency, setting the table for a big season. In his career, he's been as dependable as anyone else.

Since making his MLB debut in August 2017, Fried has recorded the 15th-most fWAR out of all starting pitchers (minimum 800 innings). He also has an ERA of 3.06, which is sixth-best among pitchers who have at least 800 innings.

Fried signed his eight-year, $218 million deal with the New York Yankees on Tuesday. It will be the first team he's played with other than the Atlanta Braves.

On the Yankees, Fried figures to be the second pitcher in the rotation. Gerrit Cole had a slightly lower ERA in the time frame stipulated above, but everyone else, Carlos Rodon included, has been worse. Here's how he might do next year.

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Expectations for Max Fried's first season in pinstripes

After missing out on Juan Soto, the New York Yankees went all out to get Max Fried to bolster their pitching staff. They will now presumably roll out this rotation:

1. Gerrit Cole
2. Max Fried
3. Carlos Rodon
4. Luis Gil
5. Clarke Schmidt

Fried could have a really good year. For the most part, he's been healthy and hasn't had any major arm injuries over his seven-year MLB career. He's pitched more than 150 innings every year but one (excluding 2020).

He has had an ERA of over 4.00 just once in his career. His strikeout numbers aren't great, which can be detrimental to the Yankees. However, Gleyber Torres is leaving in free agency, and the Yankees have the chance to realign their defense to fit Fried's strengths.

Max Fried is with the Yankees now (Imagn)

He recorded 3.4 fWAR in 174.1 innings last year, so he is poised to have another really good year. Fangraphs projected his 2025 season with a 3.3 fWAR and a 3.34 ERA, both strong numbers.

Sportskeeda's prediction: Fried goes 13-6 with the Yankees and records a 3.11 ERA, 3.6 fWAR, 183.2 innings and 176 strikeouts.