4. Max Fried
Southpaw Max Fried is slated to hit free agency after eight seasons with the Atlanta Braves. Fried has a career record of 73-36 with a 3.07 ERA and 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings. The 30-year-old is a two-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner, and has twice finished in the top five of the National League Cy Young voting.
In 2024, Fried made 29 starts with an 11-10 record with a 3.25 ERA and 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings.
Interestingly, Fried played high school baseball with current Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito at Harvard-Westlake School in California. On an episode of Baseball Isn't Boring with Rob Bradford, Giolito addressed this, insinuating that he might be participating in a bit of recruiting with Fried. Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty was also a member of that Harvard-Westlake team and is a free agent that the Red Sox expressed some interest in last offseason.
Looking forward to thanking Lucas Giolito for making Max Fried a Red Sox.
— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) October 14, 2024
Another former HS teammate of Giolito and Fried is also a FA. That’s Jack Flaherty, who the front office showed interest in last year.
Harvard-Westlake 2.0…
🎥: @BBisntBoring
pic.twitter.com/AsJmAbbgkp
The Red Sox have been linked to a trade for Chicago White Sox southpaw Garrett Crochet, and if Boston does pull off a trade for Crochet, their interest in Fried would likely greatly diminish. As currently constructed, the lack of left-handed pitching in the Red Sox rotation makes Fried a fit.
Former MLB general manager and executive Jim Bowden, now with The Athletic, projected a six-year, $174 million deal for Fried. MLB.com lists the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, and Texas Rangers as potential fits to acquire Fried's services.