Jorge Castillo, an ESPN staff writer, has had a diverse career in baseball. From covering the Washington Wizards to the Washington Nationals and later the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB, his experiences have been extensive. In 2024, he continues to make waves in the baseball world.

Max Fried's Signing with the Yankees

Max Fried, a two-time All-Star, may have the richest contract for a left-handed pitcher in baseball history. Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake believes there is room for improvement. Fried highlighted the organization's advancements in analytics and history of developing pitchers. He said, "They've got a lot of success stories of making guys a lot better. And I think that just being able to take in the information and make some adjustments, as far as my pitch shapes and things to that extent, I think there's still a little bit in there for me to hopefully do better."Fried gives the Yankees another front-line starter to pair with Gerrit Cole. The Yankees might not be done adding top-tier starting pitching. General manager Brian Cashman said they are scheduled to meet with Japanese star right-hander Roki Sasaki "soon" in California. Sasaki is an international amateur free agent and will be limited to signing a minor-league deal.Fried chose the Yankees after a successful career with the Atlanta Braves. He entered the offseason as one of the top free agent starters but didn't expect the Yankees' interest. A Zoom call changed that, and he became convinced the organization was a fit. Cashman said, "You just kind of get a feel for, like, all right, his guard's down. He's comfortable. He's sharing. He's not nervous. It was a good give-and-take. He was asking us questions about what makes us tick, how we go about our business. The takeaway was just that it was somebody easy to engage with, period, end of story. End of the day: good, genuine, authentic, honest individual who can really pitch."But there was a caveat. The Yankees would only move forward with Fried if Juan Soto chose to sign elsewhere. Once Soto joined the New York Mets, the Yankees quickly pivoted to Fried.

The Yankees' Offseason Additions

Fried was the first of three players added by the Yankees over the past week. They also acquired reliever Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday and first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. Boone confirmed Williams will be the team's closer next season. For Bellinger, Cashman said it depends on how the offseason plays out. Bellinger gives the Yankees flexibility as they seek to continue bolstering the roster after Soto's departure. Cashman said, "We've done some heavy lifting with Max, with Devin Williams, with Bellinger. But there's more lifting to do."Fried's addition to the Yankees' rotation, along with the other offseason moves, shows the team's determination to chase a championship. With a rotation that includes Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, and Marcus Stroman, the Yankees are looking strong as they head into the future.