TAMPA, Fla. — Max Fried couldn’t help but smile.

For years, Atlanta Braves pitching coach Rick Kranitz — one of the people closest to Fried in baseball — had told him the pitcher he reminded him the most of was New York Yankees legend Ron Guidry, a borderline Hall of Famer and fellow lefty. Now, inside the clubhouse at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the 74-year-old Guidry was introducing himself to Fried.

It was Fried’s first day at spring training as a member of the New York Yankees. Guidry had just reported for another stint as a special instructor. How could it get any better?

“It was a little bit of a full-circle moment,” he said Sunday.

In December, the Yankees gave Fried, 31, an eight-year, $218 million deal, the largest ever for a southpaw. It was because he’s been one of the game’s best pitchers for years. After Juan Soto’s departure to the New York Mets, the Yankees dreamed of a rotation fronted by ace Gerrit Cole and Fried.

Over eight seasons in Atlanta, Fried had a 3.07 ERA. He earned two top-five National League Cy Young Award finishes and made two All-Star Games. He likely doesn’t need much help.

But when it comes to hearing from Guidry, Fried plans to be all ears.

“I’m looking forward to all types of conversations,” he said, “whether it’s about pitching in New York or pitching in general. Every amount of knowledge that’s useful and he’s willing to give me, I’m open to hearing.”

The Maximum amount of Fried. pic.twitter.com/rSB92vEr8H

— Brendan Kuty 🧟‍♂️ (@BrendanKutyNJ) February 15, 2025

Guidry has been a Yankees spring instructor for nearly 20 years. He said he has encountered his share of pitchers who didn’t know his history or weren’t particularly interested in what he had to say.

When Guidry met Fried, he didn’t know if Fried had any idea he even existed. Guidry was almost taken aback by how engaged Fried was in their conversation and how excited he seemed.

“I’m not going to preach pitching to him,” Guidry said. “I just told him the first time I met him: ‘I’m here for six weeks. If you have questions and if you want to talk about something, don’t hesitate to come find me if you want to talk.’”

On the contrary. When Kranitz brought up Guidry to Fried, the starting pitcher immediately did a deep dive. Baseball history has always been important to Fried. He wanted to know more about the man they called “Louisiana Lightning” and “Gator” in the 1970s and ’80s.

“Legendary Yankee,” Fried said. “Cy Young Award winner. Obviously had the season where he went, like, 25-3.”

Fried was talking about 1978, when Guidry also had a 1.74 ERA in 35 starts, including 16 complete games and nine shutouts. He also served as a Yankees captain from 1986 until he retired in 1989. The team retired his No. 49 and dedicated a plaque to him in Monument Park. He was the Yankees’ pitching coach in 2006 and 2007 under manager Joe Torre.

“(Guidry) threw a lot of really meaningful games and did it with two pitches (fastball and slider),” Fried said. “When you’re as successful as he was with two pitches, you learn how to navigate and pitch, and it’s not a coincidence that he had the career that he did.”

Fried believes Kranitz likened him to Guidry for a few reasons.

“It was a little bit more of the mentality of being on the attack and also just the ability to go after guys and have a good breaking ball, which was the primary focus, where Gator was more fastball-slider, and that was his game,” Fried said. “Mine was more curveball, and I developed the slider. I think it was more like the mentality of the lefty, that kind of stuff.”

Saturday, Fried pitched against hitters for the first time this spring, facing a crew of catchers including starter Austin Wells.

“It looked great,” Wells said of Fried’s trademark curveball. “And I think one of his more underrated pitches is his sweeper. It was good to see from the batter’s box.”

As Fried pitched, Guidry watched from behind a screen near the dugout. He was studying Fried, the way Fried had studied him.

Guidry said he wanted to “get a mental idea of what he looks like when he’s throwing” so he can tell when Fried’s mechanics are off and possibly relay it to him during the season.

He added that he’s looking forward to talking to Fried about how to handle Yankee Stadium. Guidry said that as he walked out to center field to warm up, he would look at the flags flying above the stadium, and if they were blowing to the right, the ball would carry to left field because of how the wind swirls within the stadium. Though the old stadium was closed in 2008, the new stadium was built across the street, and the wind behaves similarly there.

Fried can’t wait to hear all of it.

“Anytime that I can get that opportunity to talk to someone, especially someone who has an impressive resume as Gator, I’m going to take the time,” he said. “Very humble guy. Someone you can tell has a lot of information. Someone who’s also very respectful, and he doesn’t want to overstep in any way.

“He wants to be here. He wants to help. He’s extremely helpful and engaging. I’m looking forward to progressing the relationship and getting to know him more.”

Guidry will be ready for him.

“I don’t bite anymore,” Gator said.

(Top photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck / Imagn Images)

Brendan Kuty is a Staff Writer for The Athletic covering the New York Yankees and MLB. He has covered the Yankees since 2014, most recently as a beat reporter for NJ Advance Media. Brendan was honored to receive the 2022 New Jersey Sportswriter of the Year award from the National Sports Media Association. He attended William Paterson University and the County College of Morris, and he is from Hopatcong, N.J.