Baseball

Yankees’ Max Fried Progresses in Rehab as Team Struggles Ahead of Crucial Series

by
Carlos Ramirez
July 6, 2026

Max Fried, the Yankees’ prized left-hander, is making strides in his recovery from an elbow injury that has kept him sidelined since May. Completing another live batting practice session on Sunday, Fried threw 36 pitches while facing hitters Ryan McMahon and Alí Sánchez. Manager Aaron Boone expressed optimism about Fried’s progress, stating, “It’s been good, it’s been a good run-up for him, and obviously another step today.” With a 3.21 ERA over 61.2 innings this season, the $218-million pitcher is inching closer to a rehab assignment.

However, the Yankees’ recent performance has been far from encouraging. Following a disappointing loss on Sunday, the team has now dropped nine of their last ten games and 13 of their last 17. Adding to their woes, second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. was pulled from the game after the fifth inning due to discomfort in his right toe. Fortunately, X-rays came back negative, and Boone mentioned that the injury is something that “kinda nags him from time to time.” The team plans to reassess Chisholm on Monday.

As they look to turn their season around, the Yankees are heading to Tampa for a critical four-game series against the Rays. With a four-game deficit in the AL East, this series presents a pivotal opportunity for the Yankees to either close the gap or fall further behind. “If anything’s going to get this team to wake up and get their season on a lifeboat, this challenge needs to be the one to do it,” noted Adam Zagoria.

In a bit of good news, the Yankees recalled Ángel Chivilli on Sunday morning, marking his first MLB appearance since April 19th. Chivilli impressed in low-leverage situations, completing 1.1 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out one. His strong performance lowered his ERA to 2.45 in limited major league action, following an impressive 1.08 ERA over 16.2 innings in Scranton with 17 strikeouts.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.

Carlos Ramirez

Carlos Ramirez is a passionate sports journalist with a focus on soccer and baseball. His love for the game is evident in every article, where he combines detailed analysis with vibrant storytelling. Carlos’s multicultural background allows him to bring a fresh, global perspective to 21Sports.com, making his pieces resonate with a diverse audience. When not covering sports, Carlos enjoys playing in local soccer leagues and exploring new travel destinations.