Aaron Boone, Brian Cashman Kept the Charm Offensive Going at Max Fried Presser

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The New York Yankees held an introductory press conference for prize free agent Max Fried on Wednesday. The Yankees gave Fried a record-breaking contract for a left-handed pitcher, signing the two-time All-Star to an eight-year deal worth $218 million.
The Yankees already got Fried to sign on the dotted line and shave so there's no turning back. And yet the the team was pouring on the charm as if they were still courting Fried and his family.
Manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman each arrived at the presser with a boquet of flowers. Boone gave his to Fried's mother and Cashman gave his to Fried's girlfriend. Between the flowers and suits it looked like they might have split the cost of a limo and were picking them up for a dance.
Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman deliver flowers to Max Fried’s mom and girlfriend to start the press conference. pic.twitter.com/DXZ23qLdZW
— DJ Sixsmith (@DJ_Sixsmith) December 18, 2024
Yankees manager Aaron Boone presented Max Fried’s mom, Carrie, with flowers ahead of today’s press conference. #Yankees #NYY #RepBx pic.twitter.com/fDwduESsgK
— Kate Rooney (@TheKateRooney) December 18, 2024
Between this and the $20 million signing bonus, it's no wonder Fried appreciated the team's values and familiar faces. It really is getting hard to tell which was more important in his decision.
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Stephen Douglas is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in media since 2008 and now casts a wide net with coverage across all sports. Douglas spent more than a decade with The Big Lead and previously wrote for Uproxx and The Sporting News. He has three children, two degrees and one now unverified Twitter account.
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