The Yankees are at a pivotal point in their season, fluctuating between strong starts and significant losses. Upcoming MRI results for Max Fried will impact their pitching strategy as they prepare for the Subway Series.
Key points
Yankees started the season with a 7-1 record
Team lost eight of eleven games between April 5-16
Max Fried's MRI results will impact pitching decisions
Yankees recently struggled against the Brewers and Orioles
Gerrit Cole is expected to return next month
YankeesMax FriedGerrit ColeBrewers
Once again, the Yankees have reached a critical stage of the season where theyâll tell us who they are. So far thereâve been two revelations.
The first occurred after Opening Day, when the Yankees sprinted to a 7-1 start. The second took place between April 5-16, when the Yankees lost eight of 11 games. They couldâve lost all 11 had it not been for blown saves by the Aâs Mark Leiter Jr. and the Angelsâ Jason Romano.
Just like that, Aaron Booneâs crew went from unstoppable to unwatchable. Of course, the cycle has only continued. The Yankees won their next six series before being overwhelmed this past week by the Brewers and Orioles.
Good luck trying to figure out whatâs next, especially with the uncertainty around Max Fried. The results of his MRI will likely be announced on Friday, which will go a long way in determining whoâll be the Yankeesâ ace until Gerrit Cole comes off the injured list next month.
Even if the scan shows no serious damage to Friedâs left elbow, somethingâs been off lately. Heâs allowed 11 earned runs in his last 14 1/3 innings. Meanwhile, the Yankees have won only five of his 10 starts.
Fried was a 19-game winner in 2025, a blessing during Coleâs year-long absence. But with a 4-3 record and 3.21 ERA, heâs struggled so far this season to sustain the excellence. The MRI may offer an explanation.
Losing Fried would be a setback, but I suspect the Yankees could survive a short-term absence. Theyâre lucky Cam Schlittler has evolved so quickly this year. In fact, heâs already the ace, if not in name, then in his body of work.
Q&A
What is the current performance trend of the Yankees this season?
The Yankees have experienced a mix of success and struggle, starting strong with a 7-1 record but later losing eight of eleven games.
How will Max Fried's MRI results affect the Yankees?
Max Fried's MRI results will determine the team's pitching strategy and who will serve as their ace until Gerrit Cole returns from injury.
What challenges have the Yankees faced recently?
Recently, the Yankees have been overwhelmed by losses against the Brewers and Orioles, complicating their season outlook.
When is Gerrit Cole expected to return to the Yankees lineup?
Gerrit Cole is expected to come off the injured list next month, but his exact return date is still uncertain.
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An American League scout recently marveled at how well Schlittler has diversified his arsenal in less than one season. Heâs gone from offering just a lethal, near-triple-digit fastball, to featuring two types of cutters, a curveball and a sinker. Hitters are struggling to keep up.
Schlittler doesnât just have a team-best 1.35 ERA, but heâs given up only one home run in 53 1/3 innings.
âWe saw right away there was real substance as to why Cam was having success (last year),â said pitching coach Matt Blake. âAll Cam has done is get better and better.â
The scout enthusiastically agreed.
â(Schlittler) is the Yankeesâ best pitcher right now,â he said. âHeâs going to be an All-Star at this rate.â
Talk about perfect timing. The Yankees will be sending Schlittler to the mound at Citi Field on Friday. Like most Subway Series showdowns, this will be over-heated and over-analyzed. For good reason, too: both the Yankees and Mets have issues.
Despite a modest bounce-back against the Tigers this week, the Mets are still among MLBâs worst clubs. David Stearns, the rosterâs architect, will soon have to decide whether to move some of the Metsâ valuable assets. That includes Clay Holmes, whose ERA (1.86) is nearly as good as Schlittlerâs.
It only makes sense that the two are facing each other. But ace-versus-ace is as far as the Subway Seriesâ symmetry goes. The Mets are in such horrible shape that even the Yankees are mystified.
âYeah, I really donât understand it,â said Aaron Judge. â(The Mets) have a great manager with (Carlos Mendoza) over there. He spent a lot of great times over here with us. Theyâve got a great lineup, a great pitching staff.
âSo itâs baseball. I think a lot of that comes down to it. You canât really judge a team off of six weeks of this season. If you did that, you could take six weeks that weâre struggling and say weâre the worst team out there. Theyâve got a good ballclub over there.â
Judge, Mr. Good Guy, is being generous in praising the Metsâ offense. Itâs last or next to last in the major leagues in runs, batting average and slugging percentage. Even worse, itâs about to face Schlittler for the first time. Mendozaâs lineup should prepare a night of misery.
Remember what Schlittler did to the Red Sox in Game 3 of last yearâs Wild Card Series. They, too, had never been exposed to that near-100 mph fastball coming out of Schlittlerâs hand. At 6-6 with a long stride, he creates the impression of throwing the ball downhill at a hitter.
The result? Schlittler shut out Boston for eight innings, striking out 12 without walking a batter. He sent the Sox home for the winter, while turning himself into the Bronxâs newest celebrity. But the most curious aspect of Schlittlerâs rise is how unaffected he is by the attention.
Only 25, Schlittler is as unfazed as a 10-year veteran. Not even death threats from Boston-area fans last month seemed to bother him. The Weymouth, Massachusetts, native knows Red Sox Nation considers him a traitor, but no matter.
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BOB KLAPISCH
Heâs a Yankee, the perfect guy not just to kick off the Subway Series, but step in for Cole and Fried at the front of the rotation.
âI love New York. I love being a Yankee,â Schlittler said, fully aware the feeling is mutual.
