The Yankees are getting a key piece of their rotation back a little bit earlier than expected. The club announced that Max Fried will start Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Pirates in the Bronx. Gerrit Cole will get the ball for the opener.
Fried was originally expected to make one more rehab start and rejoin the team for their series in Chicago against the White Sox starting next week, but the Yankees moved up his timeline.
"With the rainout ... if we go with Will [Warren] and Gerrit today, it leaves us short a starter on the weekend," manager Aaron Boone said before Game 1. "It just kind of made sense to not [wait]. He's ready to go. It's just about building him up at this point."
Boone said that Fried won't be operating with a "full clip" when he starts Game 2, making it apparent that Fried's start will shape out like a quasi-bullpen game. The shift in pitching plans allows the Yankees to orient their rotation for the upcoming weekend series in Philadelphia, while also allowing Fried to continue to build up his stamina at the Major League level. All the move needed was the OK from the lefty.
Out since May 14 with a bone bruise in his throwing elbow, Fried made his first rehab start with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday. He allowed two runs on five hits in three innings of work, throwing 52 pitches (32 strikes). He also struck out three and walked none.
The 32-year-old Fried had a steady start to his second season in pinstripes before hitting the IL. He carried a 3.21 ERA with a 4-3 record, while opponents hit just .199 against him. Fried had additionally pitched at least five innings in every start except his last, when he exited early with the injury.
The Yankees -- dealing with key injuries to Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Carlos Rodón -- are certainly happy to have Fried back. They have been treading water at 20-21 since Judge last played on May 31, and they begin a difficult 10-game road trip on Friday against the Phillies, White Sox and Cubs.