Yankees' Max Fried dominant in return after two-month stint on IL
Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried delivers against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning in Game 2 of a split doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Max Fried’s return to the mound could not have gone much better.
The lefthander, making his first start since May 13 after a two-month stint on the IL due to a left elbow bone bruise, struck out seven over five dominant innings against the Pirates on Wednesday night in the second game of a doubleheader.
He left a scoreless tie in the sixth inning as the Yankees’ offense continued to sputter before eking out a 2-0 win.
That Fried, who allowed one hit and a walk, got through five innings was somewhat remarkable given that he was on a pitch count in the range of 60.
The Yankees had intended to have Fried, who threw 52 pitches in his first rehab outing Friday with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, make at least one more rehab start but their second doubleheader in four days changed their plans.
Fried proved more than big-league ready, carving through the Pirates from the start. After leftfielder Cody Bellinger threw a seed to second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. to cut down leadoff batter Nick Gonzales trying to stretch a single into a double, Fried retired the next two batters.
After walking Esmerlyn Valdez to start the second, Fried retired the final 12 batters he faced.
Fried’s return to the rotation was noteworthy for several reasons, not the least of which marked the first time in nearly two years both he and Cole were in it at the same time.
Cole, who allowed three runs over seven innings in the Yankees’ 5-3 loss in 10 innings in the first game, missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Fried went on the injured list May 16, six days before Cole made his 2026 debut.
“It’s nice that it’s finally come to fruition for sure,” Cole said after his outing Wednesday of having Fried as a rotation mate. “A bit too long for both our tastes.”
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
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