Yankees Rotation Shuffled as Max Fried Sits Out Against Braves
The much-anticipated Yankees vs. Braves showdown this weekend took a surprising turn as Max Fried, the Yankees' $218 million ace, won’t be making his start against his former team. If you were hoping to see Fried go head-to-head with Atlanta at Truist Park, you’ll have to wait a little longer. A nagging blister on his left index finger has sidelined the All-Star, prompting a reshuffle in the Yankees' pitching rotation and leaving fans — and Fried himself — more than a little frustrated.
Fried, who was looking forward to facing the Braves where he pitched for eight seasons and won a championship in 2021, admitted he was disappointed. “If I didn’t get the blister, I probably would’ve been starting Friday night,” Fried said. Still, he’s keeping the bigger picture in mind. “We’ve got the rest of the season to worry about, and I want to make sure I’m ready to go.”
The blister forced him out of his last start against the Cubs after just three innings. While it might seem like a minor issue, Fried has battled blisters before — enough to know when it’s time to pause. Though he hasn’t thrown a bullpen session yet, Fried has been throwing in the outfield and is hopeful to return during the upcoming series in Toronto. “I would say hopeful,” he said, cautiously optimistic. “But I don’t want to give any definites yet.”
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With Fried unavailable and rookie Cam Schlittler experiencing upper right arm soreness — though his MRI came back clean — Yankees manager Aaron Boone had to get creative. Instead of calling up a minor leaguer, Boone opted to make Friday a bullpen game, starting with reliever Ian Hamilton. Carlos Rodón is expected to open the series in Toronto on Monday, while Schlittler could be back midweek if all goes well.
This sudden shift left Boone in a tight spot. He didn’t want to move up either Will Warren (Saturday’s starter) or Marcus Stroman (Sunday’s), so flexibility became the name of the game. The Yankees, after dropping their last two games before the All-Star break, had to dig deep into their pitching reserves.
Meanwhile, Fried is using this downtime to focus on healing properly. He’s working to toughen up the skin on that finger to prevent the issue from recurring, adding, “It’s just about making sure this doesn’t pop up again.”
Despite the setback, Fried is enjoying being back in Atlanta, even if he’s in a different uniform now. “It’s cool, it’s different being on this side for sure,” he said. “But I’m just excited for the second half more than anything.”
So while Fried’s return to the mound will have to wait, the Yankees are keeping their eyes on the bigger goal: staying healthy and staying in the race. It’s a reminder that even in a high-stakes game, long-term strategy often outweighs short-term matchups.
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