Yankees ace Max Fried finally hit the mound for his minor league rehab start, two whole months after that bone bruise in his left elbow shut him down. He threw 52 pitches for the Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre Railriders, but if you’re looking for a smooth, dominant comeback, you might wanna hold that thought. Fried coughed up 2 runs and 5 hits in just three innings, including a solo shot that definitely wasn’t on the script for a guy we all know can dominate.
The Initial Look: More Questions Than Answers?
Alright, so here’s the deal on the mound: Fried went for three innings and actually rung up three strikeouts, which is a good sign for getting some K’s, right? But he also gave up those 2 runs and 5 hits. One of those hits was a no-doubter dinger to Nate Eaton, who managed to catch an 88 mph cutter right in the inner middle of the strike zone. You’d love to see a sharper command and more put-away stuff, especially after being out for such a long stretch. He did hit the target of throwing approximately 50 pitches, ending up right on schedule with 52, so at least the pitch count was right on track for his rehab. It’s just the quality of those pitches that has everyone scratching their heads a bit after such a crucial outing.
What We Know and What We Need
Remember what he looked like before the IL stint? His last outing before the injury, a start against the Baltimore Orioles, wasn’t exactly a gem either. He pitched three innings then, giving up 3 runs and 5 hits with 2 strikeouts on 61 pitches. Over his three starts right before he got sidelined on May 15, Fried allowed a combined 11 runs and 17 hits in just 14 1/3 innings. Not exactly ace material, even with that 3.21 ERA and 50 strikeouts across his 10 starts and 61 2/3 innings when he initially went on the IL. Manager Aaron Boone is already saying Fried needs at least one more minor-league start, coming up on July 22, to ramp up. “We’ll see at that point if we take him or if he’s ready to come back,” Boone said, talking about those crucial conversations that’ll decide his fate.
This whole situation with Fried is hitting different because the team desperately needs healthy arms, especially when you consider the other big name still on the injured list. Aaron Judge is still nowhere near a return. We’re talking a fractured rib since May 31, he hasn’t even resumed baseball activities, which presumably means his return is still weeks away. The Yankees are sitting at 54-42 after the All-Star break, 2.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for first in the AL East. Every single game counts from here on out, and they absolutely need their best guys back and firing on all cylinders to make a move.
The Next Start is Everything
So, yeah, that July 22 start is absolutely massive. It’s not just another rehab outing; it’s a make or break for Fried’s immediate return and how much confidence the team can have in him right away. The Yankees need him to step up and show he’s fully ready to deal, especially with Judge still sidelined. We’re all gonna be glued to that next box score, waiting to see if Fried can truly show he’s ready to pitch like the ace we know he can be.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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