The San Francisco Giants, known for their legacy of star pitchers like Barry Zito, Tim Lincecum, and Madison Bumgarner, may soon add another ace to their roster. Despite Blake Snell’s dominant second-half showing in 2024, the Giants’ rotation struggled overall, finishing 18th in MLB with a 4.22 ERA — a sharp decline from their top-10 ERA ranking in 2023.
With Snell declining his $30 million player option for 2025, the Giants might shift their focus to free-agent lefty Max Fried. Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report ranks San Francisco as the ninth-best landing spot for Fried, describing him as a logical replacement for Snell.
Fried has been one of MLB’s most consistent pitchers, boasting a career 3.07 ERA across 168 games (151 starts) with 863 strikeouts and a 140 ERA+. A two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner, Fried has twice finished in the top five for the NL Cy Young Award and earned a 2021 World Series ring with the Atlanta Braves.
Notably, Fried could offer elite production at a reasonable price. Spotrac projects a six-year, $136.3 million deal for the veteran southpaw — an average annual value of $22.7 million, significantly less than what Snell is expected to command. Playing in pitcher-friendly Oracle Park could further enhance Fried’s already impressive numbers.
For a team in need of a rotation upgrade, Fried represents a high-value option with proven success and a winning pedigree. If the Giants cannot retain Snell, Fried might be the perfect fit to lead their staff into the next era.
