The Yankees pivoted quickly — and surprisingly — after losing the Juan Soto sweepstakes. Could Max Fried be the first step toward building a better roster without Soto? Our writers debate.

A rotation that already included ace Gerrit Cole added a second potential No. 1 in Max Fried, who agreed to an eight-year, $218 million contract, The Post confirmed.

Fried wasn’t cheap and took up a significant chunk of the Yankees’ offseason budget. The left-hander signed for $218 million over eight years, the largest contract for a left-handed pitcher ever. His presence, however, makes the Yankees’ rotation (on paper) one of the very best in baseball.