Yankees believe Max Fried has 'room to evolve' after $218M deal - ESPN

NEW YORK — Max Fried may have commanded the richest contract for a left-handed pitcher in baseball history, but the New York Yankees believe there is room for improvement for the two-time All-Star.

«He's had a lot of success, but there's a level of improvability going forward, just with how the arsenal can be crafted and pulled apart, and there's some room to evolve with us,» Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake said Wednesday. «We like that.»

Fried was formally introduced at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday after agreeing to an eight-year, $218 million deal last week. He highlighted the organization's advancements in analytics and history with developing pitchers as a selling point in his decision to sign with New York.

«They've got a lot of success stories of making guys a lot better,» Fried said. «And I think that just being able to take in the information and make some adjustments, as far as my pitch shapes and things to that extent, I think there's still a little bit in there for me to hopefully do better.»

Fried, 30, gives the Yankees another frontline starter to pair with Gerrit Cole, another Southern California native, atop a rotation that was a team strength en route to the franchise's first World Series appearance since 2009.

And the Yankees might not be done adding top-tier starting pitching.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said club officials are scheduled to meet with Japanese star right-hander Roki Sasaki «soon» in California. Sasaki, 23, is expected to draw interest from most, if not all, clubs because he will be forced to sign at a steep discount.

Sasaki would certainly have commanded a nine-figure contract on the open market, but he is considered an international amateur free agent, a designation that