"Not try to be someone I'm not": Yankees' pitcher Max Fried opens up about new role in the Yankees following Gerrit Cole's injury update

Yankees pitcher Max Fried finally opened up about what he thinks of his role in the Yankees as a starting pitcher. He shared that the plan on the mound remains the same for him no matter who was there previously. Fried was picked by the Yankees this year to have a strong starting rotation line-up. He has a distinguished record as a left-handed pitcher.It is a buzz everywhere that Yankees’ pitcher Max Fried is filling big shoes of Gerrit Cole who is now out for the season due to impending Tommy John surgery. However, Fried does not think this way. He has a clear action plan in mind about how he is going to approach his game as the Yankees’ pitcher. Talking about his game plan to MLB Network on Tuesday, he addressed the matter of comparison with Gerrit Cole. Shrugging off the unrealistic expectations that have arisen due to comparison, he said, "For me, I have to be Max Fried." He further commented, "I can't try to fill anyone else's shoes. I've pitched with a lot of really great teammates and stuff like that. I have to know what makes me successful and not try to be someone I'm not.""At the end of the day, no one is Gerrit Cole, right?" he said. "I've got to take the ball every time that I take the ball. It doesn't matter if he was on the mound or not. Realistically, it's just about doing my job," he said explaining the mindset with which he plans to play on the mound.Meanwhile, discussions among experts also are in full swing on the new responsibility Max Fried has to take up and be a proud performer in coveted pinstripes. An expert's talk on the SNY channel on YouTube suggested that they are not worried about Gerrit Cole’s absence as they are confident of Max Fried’s caliber. In the video, one of the experts described Fried’s character on the mound and called him ‘an animal’ when he was out on the field pitching.Max Fried was signed by the Yankees in December 2024 via a hefty 8-year contract amounting to $218 million with an average annual salary being $27.25 million. His contract will end in 2032 when he will turn 39. The contract has a ‘no-trade clause’. This deal has been a newsmaker for being the biggest guaranteed deal ever offered to a left-handed pitcher in the entire MLB history.According to MLB.com’s report dated 11 December 2024, in an attempt to strengthen their starting rotation, the Yankees hired the left-handed pitcher Fried. Fried is not new to pitching. The 31-year-old Fried was the Atlanta Braves pitcher from 2017-2024 during which he delivered 17 wins, the highest in the National League. His major achievements include two-time All-Star, 2021 World Series, three-time Gold Glove, and one-time Silver Slugger award.Also Read: Gerrit Cole’s blazing performance receives a fiery cheer from Carlos Rodon’s wife Ashley