The Yankees may be preparing for a pitching shuffle that could ripple all the way to Atlanta. ’s Kiley McDaniel said this month that New York is thinking about taking a run at Tarik Skubal in free agency, and if it lands him, the next move could be trading from its pitching stockpile.
That is the opening the Braves would watch. They missed the playoffs in 2025 for the first time in eight years, yet still won the National League East for the seventh time in the last decade, and they are being viewed as a club not far off from serious contention in 2027. Another high-impact starter alongside Chris Sale would fit that push, which is why Max Fried keeps coming up.
Fried, a three-time All-Star and former Atlanta prospect, still has six years and $189 million owed to him. He has been very good the last two seasons, and in a Braves rotation he would slot in as a strong No. 2 behind Sale. If Sale were to call it a career soon, Fried would also give Atlanta a short-term ace option without forcing the club to wait on another younger arm to develop.
The math is what makes the idea interesting. A Yankees pursuit of Skubal could come with a $400 million price tag, and that would force New York to move money around before it could think about another big contract. One report says a deal for Fried would look far more reasonable if the Yankees picked up around $8 million of his $31.5 million annual salary through 2032. That is the kind of salary relief that can turn a contract from unwieldy to movable.
But the route is narrow. McDaniel said the Yankees would first have to land Skubal before they start shopping from the group that could include Luis Gil, Clarke Schmidt, or Will Warren. Until that happens, Fried remains more of a fit than a target. If it does happen, the Braves would suddenly have a realistic way to get the starter they need and the Yankees would have a payroll problem to solve at the same time.
For now, Fried sits at the center of a chain reaction that depends on New York making the first move. If the Yankees chase Skubal and then decide to shed pitching and salary, Atlanta may finally get the opening it has been waiting for.
