Th Yankees removed starter Max Fried from today’s game after just three innings. It was later announced that he was lifted due to left elbow posterior soreness. He will undergo imaging tomorrow. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic was among those to relay the news.
At this point, it’s too early to know if this is simply a precautionary move or if this will ultimately prove to be a serious issue. Fried does have some elbow issues on his track record, as most pitchers do these days. He had Tommy John surgery way back in 2014, when he was a minor leaguer. In 2023, a forearm strain caused him to miss about three months of the season. In 2024, he had a much briefer IL stint related to his arm, as forearm neuritis put him on the shelf for about two weeks.
It was after that 2024 season that he became a free agent and signed with the Yankees on a huge eight-year, $218MM deal, the largest guarantee ever given to a left-handed pitcher. The deal has been working out great so far. In 2025, the Yankees lost Gerrit Cole to Tommy John surgery but Fried stepped up as the ace. The southpaw made 32 starts last year with a 2.86 earned run average. He finished fourth in Cy Young voting behind Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet and Hunter Brown.
Here in 2026, the Yanks are still waiting for Cole to return. They also began the campaign without Carlos Rodón, who underwent surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow last fall. The Yanks have started the year strong with a 27-16 record. Coming into today, their 3.07 rotation ERA was just a hair behind Atlanta’s 3.06 for best in the majors. Fried has certainly done his part, with a 2.91 ERA coming into today’s game.
The rotation has done so well that the Yankees seemed to be trending towards some tough decisions. Rodón came off the IL a few days ago. Making room for Rodón was fairly easy since Luis Gil had struggled enough to get optioned down to Triple-A. But Cole is also trending towards a return. Between Fried, Rodón, Cam Schlittler, Ryan Weathers and Will Warren, the Yanks had a full rotation.
Rodón hasn’t really had a chance to put up any numbers yet this year but has a strong track record. The other four have all been throwing the ball well, with no one in the group having an ERA above 3.42. Weathers, Warren and Schlittler have options but it would be tough to tell one of them to head down to the farm when they’re pitching so well. Going to the bullpen would arguably be more palatable but still a bit awkward. If Fried ends up needing some time on the IL, the decision would become quite easy, as Cole could just step into Fried’s spot.
That probably wouldn’t happen right away. Cole made his most recent rehab appearance on May 10th and got to five innings pitched but the Yankees have said they expect him to make one or two more rehab appearances after that. Perhaps Fried hitting the IL would make them expedite the process but they probably don’t want to rush anything with a pitcher as important as Cole.
If Fried needs an IL stint and if Cole stays on his rehab for a bit longer, the Yanks will have to figure out a short-term rotation plan. They are off tomorrow but then play 13 days in a row after that. Recalling Gil won’t be an option because he was just shut down in the minors with some shoulder inflammation and won’t throw for three weeks. Elmer Rodríguez and Brendan Beck are on the 40-man and could be recalled. Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough have starting experience and each pitched multiple innings of relief after Fried departed today, so they could perhaps be part of some kind of patchwork solution.
For the Yanks, the greater concern will be the long term. In an ideal world, they would probably have Cole, Fried, Rodón and Schlittler lined up as an excellent rotation for a playoff series. Hopefully, Fried’s issue proves minor and he can come back in time to make that a reality. Any alternative outcome would be a blow to the club’s season.
Photo courtesy of Mitch Stringer, Imagn Images
Uh oh.
Yeah this can’t be good.
Love how right around the corner Cole was to return and now we’re down an ace
Wow what a luxury to have multiple aces on a roster
Actually Cole hasn’t been on the roster since 2024 lol
Lucky the AL is trash, so the Yanks could still end up a playoff team even if Fried is toast for the season.
Yanks got a nice cushion…..Redsox, orioles or jays going to rundown the Yanks first ?
It’s not what you want.
Ruh roh
You beat me to it but, i’ll add Raggy.
See you in mid/late 2027. Speedy recovery
Late 2027 if lucky!
Hopefully, he will be alright health wise. As to his contract, well that money is fully guaranteed 🫰
Hopefully it isn’t TJ, again. This would be his 2nd.
He’s fried. Pun intended.
Cooked some might say
Schlittler, this is your time to shine and prove you’re a capable ace!
I was thinking to myself the other day, Fried is due for an injury. Just looking at the remarkable state of the Yankees rotation, and with his track record, it seemed impossible he’d go 2 straight years and not miss a start. Maybe it’ll just be an absence and not a major surgery, and the Yankees have more than enough depth to “Weathers” this one. No one should feel sorry for the Yankees but its OK to feel bad for Fried.
Yanks in big trouble if Cole doesnt come back 80% of his ceiling.
Like I been saying the rotation n 3 hitters have been carrying this first place team.
When the rotation falters some and 5 hitters in the lineup are borderline auto outs, you lose winnable series vs a bad orioles team.
Better hope some combo Jazz, Volpe, Grisham, Jones/McMahon , wells starts to hit or they they could be in 3rd place( or worse) by father’s day
1st place team?
Yanks are not even in first place…
Guess you haven’t been following the Rays lately….
Yanks are done
It must be recommended to every pitcher to keep doing the same things until they destroy their elbow. That is the only thing that I can think of as to why these types of injuries never stop happening. I dont know. Maybe they’re just dumb and think it’s not gonna happen to them?
Guess the warranty on the first TJ may be up.
Another one bites the dust