Insider Hints At Red Sox's Price Tag To Sign Braves All-Star Max Fried

Should Boston offer the star lefty a massive deal?

Sep 27, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried (54) tips his hat to the crowd after being removed from a game against the Kansas City Royals in the ninth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox and free-agent starting pitcher Max Fried might be a match made in heaven, but the devil is in the details.

After several winters of penny-pinching, the Red Sox seem to be willing to spend big to improve the roster this winter. They need starting pitching, with lefty starters being preferred, so Fried seems like a natural fit.

Fried's old team, the Atlanta Braves, don't seem to be eager to overspend for Fried, but many other big-market teams likely will be. The Red Sox will have to open up their wallets in a way they haven't since the David Price contract to land a free agent lefty.

But just how much might it cost the Red Sox to pry Fried from the rest of the big spenders? One insider recently provided an early hint.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post predicted that Fried would land a six-year, $166 million contract. In addition to the Red Sox, he named seven other teams that would be threats to lure Fried away from Boston.

“His 139 ERA-plus is eighth best all-time,” Heyman said of Fried. “The Yankees, Red Sox, Jays, Orioles, Mets, Cubs, Giants and his hometown Dodgers are probable players. Red Sox need a lefty. $166M, 6 years.”

Fried, 31, has a 73-36 career record with a 3.07 ERA. He's been one of the most consistent starting pitchers in the game since he became a full-time big-leaguer in 2019, and he's got two All-Star appearances and a World Series ring to show for it.

Signing Fried might not instantly transform the Red Sox into World Series contenders, but it would be a huge step in the right direction. Frankly, if $166 million is the high end for what the lefty might cost, Craig Breslow and the Boston front office should already have the offer on the table.

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