Max Fried comes back to Atlanta as Yankees All-Star

“It’s been really cool,” said Fried, who was cheered during All-Star introductions Tuesday. “I still have my house here, so being able to go home, and a lot of old memories flooded in. But being able to see the stadium workers, other staff, former teammates here and there, it’s been a lot of fun.”

The Yankees signed Fried to an eight-year, $218 million deal over the winter, bringing his expected departure from Atlanta to fruition. While some speculated that the Santa Monica native might favor a return home, Fried instead landed in the country’s largest market, one that comes with ultimate rewards if successful.

And New York needed him immediately. Ace Gerrit Cole required Tommy John surgery in the spring, only increasing the need for Fried to perform up to his contract.

It couldn’t have started much better: Fried went 11-3 with a 2.43 ERA in 20 starts throughout the first half. No Yankee is more valuable than Aaron Judge, but Fried might be second.

“It feels really similar (to the Braves),” Fried said. “I’ve got a really great group of guys. The organization has been really great. I feel comfortable. Everyone has welcomed me in. So it’s similar to my time in Atlanta.”

Fried is dealing with a blister that interrupted his last start and might cost him the opportunity to pitch against the Braves this weekend — “That’s OK,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said with a laugh — but overall, Fried has provided an A-plus performance to begin his Yankees tenure.

There was even a chance he’d start for the American League on Tuesday if he was healthy, though Tarik Skubal, commonly viewed as the sport’s finest pitcher, is tough to argue against.

“(Fried) is a Skubal away from starting this game,” Braves All-Star lefty Chris Sale said. “I even texted him the other day saying, ‘You’ve got a damn good chance of starting this thing.’ I saw him earlier (Monday) and was able to say what’s up. It’s a cool thing for him. There’s a lot that goes into signing him a new team and the big contract and all these different things. To watch him do what he did was impressive. I was happy for him.

“It’s not easy to go into a new place, be with a new team, the big contract attached to it, he’s in New York. There’s a lot that comes with that. And to watch him handle that the way we all knew he would — but there’s always that ‘what if.’ So to come back here and be in an All-Star game in the place he grew up in, it’s special.”

Life is quite a bit different now for Fried. In Manhattan, one will commonly see him among three Yankees pictured on ticket ads. Try to catch a cab, there’s a chance you’ll briefly see Fried’s image atop it. Stroll through Times Square, and you’ll see Fried shining among the lights.

“So happy for him,” former teammate Freddie Freeman, who’s now with the Dodgers, said. “We all know Max and how wonderful a person he is. To see him get that contract he rightfully deserves — he’s a big-game pitcher, pitches on the biggest stage and succeeded — for him to get that. And it’s really hard in your first year to learn a new team and everybody, learn everyone’s names, your routine and how everything works. For him to go out and have the first half he had, it’s awesome.

“Especially in pinstripes in the Bronx, where there’s a lot of pressure on you. For him to go up there and succeed and do what he’s doing, I’m very happy for him. I wish he could pitch here, but I think the fans will give him a very nice ovation tomorrow.”

Perhaps Fried’s success in New York should come as no surprise. His reputation for game-planning and preparation has become legendary. Sale has called him one of the best baseball minds he’s ever been around. Red Sox All-Star lefty Garrett Crochet lauded Fried’s work ethic, saying it’s well-known throughout MLB.

“I don’t think anything I say will hold a candle to the player he is,” Crochet said. “I feel like it’s almost like asking a high school kid why the No. 1 college pick did well. I’ve got a lot of admiration for who Max is as a player. It obviously comes to no surprise across anyone in the league or any fan, I’d say, as well. He’s been doing this for a really long time. It’s tough that it’s expected out of him, but he continues to exceed the expectations.”

Time will tell how Fried’s contract ages. It’s understandable why the Braves were unenthused about signing him to a lengthy deal given his injury history. It’s also logical why the Yankees felt so confident in committing to him as a franchise pillar for eight years.

“I follow him all the time,” Snitker said. “I was hoping he was going to start for the American League, but they had a worthy candidate in Tarik Skubal. I’m happy for Max. I knew he’d be successful. Max is a great pitcher. It’s been a big loss obviously for us, but I’m happy for him where he ended up and how well he’s doing.”

There’s no doubt, though, what Fried meant to the Braves organization. Maybe there will be a time he’s visiting Truist Park for a World Series reunion or an alumni event.

But the first time he visited since his departure was this week as an All-Star.