Discussion in another thread turned to Max Fried and whether the Braves will re-sign him or let him hit the market. I think the vast majority expects him to leave Atlanta.
With that said, the similarities between the NFL concept of trying to win with a QB on a rookie deal somewhat line up with MLB teams trying to win with lower priced pitching. It feels like the moment you go out on the FA market and throw big money at a SP from another team, you're in trouble.
Top contracts given to FA starting pitchers this past MLB offseason
That is an intensely low ROI when you look at these signings. Once you go further down the list with pitchers signed to deals with $15 mil AAV, the success stories take off.
While the Braves have all the medicals on Fried, it's no wonder they don't want to shell out close to $30 mil/year for a guy into his 30s.
With that said, the similarities between the NFL concept of trying to win with a QB on a rookie deal somewhat line up with MLB teams trying to win with lower priced pitching. It feels like the moment you go out on the FA market and throw big money at a SP from another team, you're in trouble.
Top contracts given to FA starting pitchers this past MLB offseason
- Ohtani $46.08 mil/year (Dodgers knew they'd get nothing out of him on the mound in '24)
- Blake Snell $31 mil/year (0-3 9.51 ERA 23.2 IP)
- Jordan Montgomery $25 mil/year (6-5, 6.44 ERA)
- Sonny Gray $25 mil/year (9-5, 3.30 ERA)
- Aaron Nola $24.6 mil/year (10-4, 3.48 ERA)
- Eduardo Rodriguez $20 mil/year (hasn't pitched in 2024)
- Lucas Giolito $19.25 mil/year (hasn't pitched...out for the year)
That is an intensely low ROI when you look at these signings. Once you go further down the list with pitchers signed to deals with $15 mil AAV, the success stories take off.
While the Braves have all the medicals on Fried, it's no wonder they don't want to shell out close to $30 mil/year for a guy into his 30s.
