NEW YORK — Max Fried, a key figure in the New York Yankees' rotation, departed his Wednesday start against the Baltimore Orioles prematurely, citing soreness in his left elbow. The left-hander was removed after only three innings and 61 pitches, a development that adds another layer of complexity to the team's already strained pitching depth.
Fried will undergo further testing on Thursday, the team's off-day, to ascertain the severity of the elbow issue.
Fried himself expressed a degree of optimism, stating he is "not too worried about a super long term thing" and harbors a desire to make his next scheduled start. However, his departure comes on the heels of recent struggles with command, which led him to abandon his full windup. He was demonstrably imprecise during his abbreviated outing, falling behind in the count against a significant portion of the hitters he faced.
Read More: Memphis Literacy Group Gets More Money After Brandon Clarke's Death
The Yankees, who have endured a challenging stretch of play, now face the prospect of another absence from their pitching staff. This situation is particularly acute given that Gerrit Cole remains on the injured list, working through his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Cole is slated for another rehab outing on Saturday, with his season debut anticipated in the coming weeks. The team, however, has indicated they will not accelerate Cole's return should Fried's situation necessitate an extended absence.
Fried's performance has been a mixed bag this season. Prior to Wednesday's outing, he had accumulated a 4-2 record with a 2.91 earned run average over 58.2 innings in his nine previous starts. Yet, his most recent appearances have shown signs of regression, including a rough start last Friday in Milwaukee where he surrendered five runs. In his last three starts leading up to Wednesday, Fried had allowed 11 runs on 17 hits and seven walks in just 14 innings.
Read More: Max Fried's elbow pain worries Yankees rotation
Should Fried require a stint on the injured list, the Yankees' internal options include prospects like Elmer Rodríguez, who has made previous spot starts this season and could potentially fill the gap between Fried's absence and Cole's eventual return. The current rotation, as it stands, includes Gerrit Cole (rehabbing), Max Fried (elbow soreness), Carlos Rodón, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, Ryan Weathers, and Luis Gil (shoulder inflammation on Triple-A injured list).
