The New York Yankees are straight up drowning right now, trailing the Tampa Bay Rays two games to none in the best-of-five ALDS, and it’s Max Fried, a man with a baby due *any day*, who’s gotta save their season in Game 3 at Yankee Stadium.
The Hole They’re In
Last night’s Game 2 was an absolute mess. Cam Schlittler didn’t have his A stuff, sure, but the Yankees’ defense did him zero favors, committing four errors. Get this: three of those errors were in the first inning alone. You just can’t make that many mistakes in the postseason and expect to get away with it. They’re staring down the barrel of elimination, and the pressure is absolutely unreal.
Boone’s Big Bet On Fried
Manager Aaron Boone had a tough call to make for Game 3, choosing between Max Fried and Carlos Rodon. He’s gone with Fried, the left-hander, even with the incredible personal situation he’s got going on. MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reported on X that Fried confirmed he’ll start, saying his plans won’t change even with a baby on the way. Talk about dedication! Fried himself told Hoch, “I’ve got a really supportive family that understands that this is my job, and it’s not going to affect what happens tomorrow.” This guy is locked in. He’s going to need to be, too, especially after he allowed only one run in six innings during the Wild Card Series clincher against the Boston Red Sox. Fried needs to bring that heat if the Yankees want to stay alive. If he can pull off the win, then Rodon is presumably up for Game 4.
Around the League Quick Hits
* Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski made some MLB history, hitting 1,000 pitches at 100 mph. Wild stuff.
* The White Sox reportedly aren’t in any rush to sign Munetaka Murakami to an extension.
* Looks like the Mets, Dodgers, and Guardians all pulled the same brutal trade mistake right in the middle of MVP races. Oof.
* Mariners’ Josh Naylor joined Hall of Famer George Sisler with some rare stolen base MLB history.
* Dodgers’ $5.5M postseason hero Miguel Rojas might not retire, but there’s a condition to it.
Game 3 is tomorrow night, and for the Yankees, it’s do or die. Every pitch from Fried is going to feel like the season’s on the line, because, well, it is. Let’s see if he can deliver!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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