Yankees Ace Max Fried to Lead Rotation After Elite 2025 Performance

Yankees ace Max Fried, 32, is expected to carry the rotation in 2026, especially with Gerrit Cole sidelined. In 2025, his first year of an 8-year, $218 million deal, Fried proved invaluable, posting a 2.86 ERA (4th best AL) over 195.1 innings (2nd most AL), with a career-high 95.8 mph fastball. He boasts elite command, a deep six-pitch repertoire (42% whiff rate on curveball), and a 'full of red' Statcast profile, indicating he hit 'another gear' with the Yankees.