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How Max Fried continues to be exactly what Yankees need
TL;DR
Max Fried, signed by the Yankees as a No. 2 starter, is stepping up as the ace due to Gerrit Cole's injury. Despite a recent loss, Fried continues to fulfill the team's pitching needs.
Key points
- Max Fried was signed by the Yankees as a No. 2 starter.
- Gerrit Cole is out due to Tommy John surgery.
- Fried is stepping up as the ace of the pitching staff.
Max FriedGerrit ColeNew York Yankees
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Max Fried and the New York Yankees lost on Thursday, so it might not have felt like Fried's best day, and sure, it wasn't.
But he also continues to provide the Yankees with exactly what they need.
The Yanks signed Fried before last season to be a No. 2 starter behind Gerrit Cole. The righty ace hasn't pitched a single regular season game since Fried arrived in the Bronx, though, as Tommy John surgery has kept him out and he still isn't back yet.
That has meant the ace title fell on Fried.
This season, he's also without his usual southpaw peer Carlos Rodon, who has missed the beginning of the campaign with injury, too.
Fried leads MLB in innings so far (33.1), and while that's not the most important pitching stat, it's also crucial in this setup. With the Yankees missing so much productivity on the mound, Fried has made sure they can count on him.
"Coming off a season in which he tied for fourth in the big leagues with a career-high 195 1/3 innings pitched, Fried has remained the Yankees’ workhorse," MLB.com wrote as part of a new article on Friday. "It’s a role they’ve needed him to fill with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón working their way back from injuries. Excluding his injury-marred 2023 season and shortened 2020 campaign, Fried has worked at least 165 innings each year since 2019. His 403 innings since the beginning of 2024 are the fourth most in baseball."
Q&A
Why is Max Fried considered the ace for the Yankees?
Max Fried is viewed as the ace because Gerrit Cole has been sidelined with Tommy John surgery, leaving Fried to take on the leading role in the rotation.
What impact has Gerrit Cole's injury had on the Yankees' pitching staff?
Gerrit Cole's injury has forced the Yankees to rely heavily on Max Fried, who was initially signed as a No. 2 starter, to lead the pitching staff.
How long has Max Fried been with the Yankees?
Max Fried signed with the Yankees before the last season, making his tenure with the team ongoing since then.
