Max Fried set for Yankees return in doubleheader twist
The left-hander is lined up for Game 2 against Pittsburgh after weather reshuffled New York’s pitching plans.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Max Fried is back on the Yankees’ schedule sooner than expected, with CBS Sports reporting that the All-Star left-hander is slated to start the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Pirates.
New York’s Tuesday night game against Pittsburgh was postponed because of weather, creating a two-game Wednesday and a fresh look for the Yankees’ rotation. Gerrit Cole, the former Cy Young Award winner, is set to start Game 1, according to CBS Sports, while Fried is lined up for Game 2.
For Fried, it would be his first major league outing in more than two months. CBS Sports reported that he has been on the injured list since May 16 with a bone bruise in his left elbow and has not pitched in the majors since May 13.
A quicker return than expected
The timing marks a sharp turn from what Yankees manager Aaron Boone had indicated earlier Tuesday. Boone said Fried was expected to make one more minor league rehab start before returning to the big league rotation, according to MLB.com.
That plan appears to have changed after the postponement, with Fried now positioned to take the ball in the second game of the doubleheader.
Fried made just one rehab appearance before being lined up for the Yankees start. CBS Sports reported that he allowed two runs on five hits over three innings and threw 52 pitches in that outing.
Because Fried has not yet been fully built up for a starter’s workload, CBS Sports noted that Will Warren could possibly work behind him. Warren had originally been scheduled to start Tuesday’s postponed game.
What Fried brings back
Fried’s return would put one of New York’s top arms back into a rotation that has had to wait to see its biggest names together. Last season, his first with the Yankees, Fried went 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA across 32 starts and finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting, according to CBS Sports.
Before the elbow injury this season, Fried made 10 starts. CBS Sports listed his numbers at 4-3 with a 3.21 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP and 50 strikeouts against 19 walks over 61 2/3 innings.
Wednesday would also bring a roster first for New York: Cole and Fried would be active for the Yankees on the same day for the first time, according to CBS Sports. Fried signed with the club as a free agent before the 2025 season, while Cole missed all of 2025 after Tommy John surgery.
Cole returned to the rotation on May 22 this season, roughly a week after Fried went on the injured list, CBS Sports reported.
The Yankees’ rotation could gain more reinforcements soon. CBS Sports identified All-Star Cam Schlittler as another front-line option and reported that former All-Star left-hander Carlos Rodón is expected to come back from the injured list in the coming weeks. Warren and Ryan Weathers provide additional depth.
New York enters the doubleheader at 56-44, sitting 1.5 games behind the Rays in the AL East standings, according to CBS Sports.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS Sports.