DALLAS — Brian Cashman had envisioned Willy Adames playing third base and helping elevate the Yankees clubhouse culture, but he was handcuffed until he knew if the bulk of his offseason budget was going to Juan Soto.
So, he could only frustratingly watch as Adames signed a seven-year, $182 million contract with the Giants last week.
But once the Yankees learned that Soto was taking the Mets’ 15-year, $765 million offer on Sunday, Cashman quickly pivoted, not wanting to lose another player of extreme interest. He let Max Fried’s camp know that the lefty was the Yankee priority. There would, for example, be no offer for Corbin Burnes until the Yankees knew for sure if they could secure Fried or not.
On Tuesday, the Yankees got their man, reaching an eight-year, $218 million pact with Fried, completing what basically was a strong one-week courtship of the player.
Fried’s market included the Angels and Giants as dark horses, but the four main contenders were the Yankees, Blue Jays, Rangers and Red Sox. Those four teams held Zooms with Fried last week between Tuesday and Thursday.
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The Yankees went on Tuesday and had nine members of the organization on the teleconference — more than double anyone else. It included Cashman, Aaron Boone and pitching coach Matt Blake. But also special advisor Omar Minaya, who had history with Fried. Minaya had been a senior VP of baseball operations with the Padres, when Fried was drafted seventh overall by the Padres in 2012.
When the process began, Fried did not view the Yankees as his top choice, but the Zoom presentation began to change his thinking.
The Fried camp told all of those involved that Fried wanted to have an agreement by no later than Wednesday of this week. And so negotiations intensified once Soto was off the board.
The Blue Jays never made an offer. The Red Sox were at seven years at $190 million with a willingness to perhaps go up, but also a plan to include deferrals. The Rangers, though, became huge contenders. They had begun the process not believing that they would be able to reach the financial stratosphere where Fried was heading. But after its Zoom meeting, Texas officials decided to stretch.
The Rangers offered seven years at $190 million. But without a state tax, the value of that contract was going to force the Yankees to do much better. In a post-Soto world in which they wanted to begin to get on the board and move forward, the Yankees were aggressive, again reiterating just how much Fried was their priority.
They were at eight years at $210 million — Fried wanting the eighth season. The Fried camp let the Yankees know that if they went to $218 million — $1 million more than David Price’s record for a lefty starter (a seven-year deal signed in 2015) — that there would be no more shopping; that the Yankees would get Fried.
Cashman reconnected with Hal Steinbrenner for authorization and received approval to move forward. The deal, which was pending a physical that was tentatively scheduled for Thursday with then a press conference probably on Friday, would include a $20 million signing bonus paid in two $10 million installments, one immediately and one next year.
Fried will receive $12 million in 2025 and 2026, and then $29 million annually over the final six seasons.
