Max Fried says ‘gut feeling’ brought him to Yankees, looks like ace versus former suitor Red Sox

TAMPA — In an alternate world, Max Fried could have been on the mound at Steinbrenner Field Tuesday as a Red Sox, pitching against the Yankees for the first of many times over the next seven years.

In reality, the lefty was wearing pinstripes and mowing down the Red Sox in his penultimate spring outing, now more important to the Yankees than he has ever been.

Fried looked the part of the de facto ace the Yankees need him to be this season without Gerrit Cole, tossing 4¹/₃ scoreless innings on 68 pitches as he neared the end of his buildup with eyes on starting the second game of the season.

“They got a good one,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said before the 4-4 tie.

Fried represented the Yankees’ Plan B this offseason after losing Juan Soto in free agency — or, as Cole put it earlier this spring, a second Plan A in a “decisive pivot.”

It took eight years and $218 million to land him, with the Red Sox and Rangers also finalists before the Yankees added an eighth year to seal the deal.