Dodgers Predicted to Sign $174 Million 2-Time All-Star Ace
The Los Angeles Dodgers are coming off a World Series win, but if there’s one team in Major League Baseball that’s proven time and time again they aren’t satisfied, it’s the Dodgers. That’s why they’ve been linked to some of the biggest names in Major League Baseball, as the ownership and front office will do anything they can to bring rings to Los Angeles.
The Dodgers will get better this winter, and there isn’t much debate about that. However, the question continues to be centered around who they’ll sign.
Erik Beaston of Bleacher Report predicted them to land Max Fried, a left-handed starter who’s been as good as any pitcher in baseball when healthy.
“Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, and Blake Snell are the three most prominent free-agent starters this offseason… Fried is coming off a season in which he overcame injury to go 11-10 with a 3.25 ERA and 166 strikeouts and was a huge factor in the Braves’ late-season run to the playoffs…
“All three are legitimate options for the Dodgers, but if the team hopes to acquire another free agent, taking Fried or Snell would allow them a little more room to make that happen. Prediction: The Dodgers sign Fried,” Beaston wrote on November 25.
Fried Contract Prediction
Money doesn’t mean much to the Los Angeles Dodgers. If there’s a player out there they believe could help them win a World Series, they’ll do whatever it takes to land them.
While Fried would be expensive and add another massive contract to the most expensive team in Major League Baseball, the Dodgers have plenty of reasons to sign him.
He was recently predicted to sign a six-year, $174 million deal by Jim Bowden of The Athletic, which is the going rate for a starter of his caliber.
Max Fried has a career record of 73-36 with a 3.07 ERA and 3.29 FIP. He’s made two All-Star teams, won two Gold Glove awards and finished top-five in the Cy Young Award voting twice. He’s made 28 to 30 starts in three of the last four seasons but has dealt with injuries, including left forearm neuritis each of the last two years.
“Therefore, his medical reports will determine whether he lands a market-rate deal or has to take a lesser contract. The Braves have tried over the last several years to extend Fried to no avail. They’ll keep trying this offseason and wait to see how he fares in the market, but they definitely want him back,” Bowden wrote on October 31.
Why the Dodgers Could Use Fried
It’s easy to look at the Los Angeles Dodgers 2024 season and be impressed by them winning a World Series. However, when truly looking at what they did, the Dodgers deserve even more credit. Their pitching staff was derailed by injuries all year, and instead of complaining about it, the front office made the necessary moves to give them a chance.
As a result, they won a World Series despite dealing with many setbacks on the mound.
Fried would give them a reliable starter, and with the injuries the Dodgers might face in 2025 due to guys rehabbing, the idea of signing him makes perfect sense. Their injuries are why Mark Feinsand of MLB.com views them as a fit for the World Series champion.
“Given the Dodgers’ injury issues within the rotation last season, adding a dependable starter would seem to be on their to-do list this winter,” Feinsand wrote on November 20. “Fried has thrown at least 165 innings in four of the past five 162-game seasons, and as a Southern California native who grew up going to games at Dodger Stadium, he won’t have to be sold on the perks of living in Los Angeles.”
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