The New York Yankees have spent the last two months watching their team get picked apart by injuries. Max Fried has not pitched in a major league game since May 13. Carlos Rodón has been dealing with left elbow inflammation. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton remain sidelined on the position player side.
The Yankees have stayed in the race without them, but the strain is showing. New York sits 2 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the division and the Boston Red Sox are closing fast.
On Friday night, the first step toward getting whole again arrived in Moosic, Pennsylvania.
Fried Reacts to First Rehab Outing
Fried took the mound for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday and delivered three innings against the Worcester Red Sox. He allowed two runs on five hits, struck out three, walked nobody, and threw 52 pitches with 32 going for strikes. His fastball topped out at 95.4 mph.
After the outing, Fried did not hide how the last two months have felt.
“As a competitor, it sucks because I wish that I was out there,” Fried said. “But I wasn’t able to stay healthy enough to help the guys out.”
The frustration was genuine, but so was the belief in what this team can still become. Fried made that clear.
“We’re a confident group. You’re not going to play your best baseball the whole year, all 162,” Fried said. “It’s been not as consistent as we’ve wanted it to be, but we’re pretty motivated coming out of the break to play some of our best baseball, especially when it matters most.”
Fried knows what the Yankees have been missing. He also knows what they are capable of when healthy.
GettyMax Fried of the New York Yankees.
What Comes Next for Fried
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Fried will make at least two rehab starts before the team decides whether he is ready to rejoin the rotation. The next outing is expected Wednesday with a higher pitch count.
The rehab start was the first time he had faced opposing hitters in a game setting since mid-May.
Fried said the bone bruise had been present for multiple starts before the team shut him down. In 10 starts this season, he posted a 4-3 record with a 3.21 ERA.
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 05: Max Fried #54 of the New York Yankees pitches during the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium on April 05, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Final Word for the Yankees
Fried wants to be out there. He hates watching from the side. That competitive edge matters just as much as the velocity readings and pitch counts.
His next rehab start will tell the Yankees more about how close he is. If the progression holds, Fried could be back in the Bronx before too long.
For a team trying to hold its position in the standings while the calendar ticks toward the deadline, that cannot come soon enough.
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