BALTIMORE – The Yankees have wondered at times this season about Max Fried’s spotty command, even watching the All-Star ditch his windup in hopes of targeting the strike zone more effectively. They have greater concerns after the left-hander disappeared down the dugout tunnel after three innings on Wednesday.
Initially diagnosed with left elbow posterior soreness, Fried exited after throwing 61 pitches in the Yankees’ 7-0 loss to the Orioles at Camden Yards. He is scheduled to be examined by team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad and will undergo imaging in New York on Thursday.
Both in his public comments and behind the scenes, Fried indicated that he is not concerned about a lengthy absence.
“I guess you never know, but I’m definitely planning on this being sooner rather than later,” Fried said. “I don’t want to put any timelines or anything like that. I’m not too worried about a super long-term thing. If I can, I would love to be able to make my next start, but we’ll see.”
As they await more details on Fried’s prognosis, the Yankees wrapped a disappointing 1-5 journey through Milwaukee and Baltimore, held to just one hit by Kyle Bradish and three relievers. They’ll return to New York this weekend, but the trip continues with the Subway Series against the Mets at Citi Field.
“Just a tough road trip,” said captain Aaron Judge. “You’re going to have two or three of those during the year, and it’s about how you respond. Nothing we can do about it now. There were a couple of close games we could have won.”
As in his previous outing, when he permitted a season-high five runs to the Brewers, Fried seemed to have difficulty finding his rhythm. Fried described the sensation as akin to a hyperextension, or what one would feel after banging the back of his elbow or triceps against a hard object.
“It’s just a little uncomfortable and tight, especially between innings,” Fried said. “It’s hard for me to loosen up. I just wasn’t sharp, and it was just hard to keep bouncing back. I definitely wasn’t helping the team. I could’ve kept pitching, but at that point, it was like, ‘Hey, let’s make sure we can calm this thing down.’”
Fried said the elbow did not affect him during the Milwaukee start, though he acknowledged it has been an issue for “numerous starts this year.”
“Normally, it goes away,” Fried said. “This one, I think it’s probably just one too many times. It’s a little irritated.”
Coby Mayo stroked a run-scoring double in the second inning, Adley Rutschman lifted a third-inning sacrifice fly and Pete Alonso added an RBI single off Fried, who scattered five hits and one walk while striking out two.
“His stuff was down,” manager Aaron Boone said. “It would take him two, three hitters in the inning to get to 95 [mph] when he needed it. He was just having a hard time getting ramped up.”
After Alonso was tagged out between first and second base to end the third, Fried came off the field and walked directly toward the clubhouse. Pitching coach Matt Blake hurried to signal the bullpen, where Paul Blackburn began to warm.
“I just knew he was a little off, so I talked to him after that third [inning],” Boone said. “He was just telling me he was having a hard time getting it. I just said, ‘Let’s pull it here.’”
It was the first time in 10 starts this season that the 32-year-old Fried failed to reach the sixth inning. The Yanks’ Opening Day starter, Fried is in the second season of an eight-year, $218 million contract. He leads the Majors with 61 2/3 innings.
At present, New York’s rotation is comprised of Fried, Cam Schlittler, Carlos Rodón, Ryan Weathers and Will Warren. That is set to change in the next several weeks, with Gerrit Cole having made five Minor League rehab starts and on track to rejoin the Major League club in late May or early June.
It has yet to be determined how the club intends to clear space for Cole – one potential scenario would have had Weathers moving to the bullpen – but depending on the severity of Fried’s issue, they might have their answer.
“I’m hoping for some good news,” Judge said. “Max is a tough kid. He’s meant a lot to this organization since he came over here. That’s why we went after him and signed him. We’ve got a lot of depth around here, so if something happens, I know guys will step up and fill that role.”