The New York Yankees are still dealing with the disappointment of not bringing back their superstar Juan Soto for the 2025 season.
Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets, while the Yankees are left with holes to fill in their lineup.
Although the Yankees lost Soto, it didn’t take long for them to get back into the game and add key players this season.
The Yankees signed one of the top free-agent starting pitchers in Max Fried from the Atlanta Braves while also trading for reliever Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers and infielder Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs.
MLB analyst Dan Plesak named the Yankees the best starting pitching in the American League.
“On paper, I’ll say right now, yeah, they probably have the best starting pitching in the AL,” Plesak said on MLB Network’s “X.”
“On paper … (the Yankees) probably have the best starting pitchers in the AL.”@Plesac19 The addition of New York’s Max Fried follows. #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/jvG6q04RQ8
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 19, 2024
Fried joins a Yankees rotation that already includes Gerrit Cole, which is why Plesak calls them the best rotation in the league.
While it’s one thing to have the best start on paper and another to perform and stay healthy through the season, the Yankees seem poised for success in 2025.
The Yankees have won the American League East in two of the last three years, and they’ll be looking to back-to-back titles for the first time since 2011 and 2012.
Fried should be another arm to lean on for the Yankees to chase back-to-back World Series appearances.
NEXT: Cody Bellinger reveals his thoughts on playing for the Yankees
