Max Fried Exits Early with Elbow Injury in Baltimore Start

Max Fried’s outing on Wednesday afternoon in Baltimore was cut short, as the left-hander departed after just three innings. Trailing 3-0, Fried made the decision to leave the game, heading straight down the tunnel accompanied by members of the training staff. Pitching coach Matt Blake quickly summoned Paul Blackburn to take over for the long relief.

This isn’t the first time Fried has faced injury issues; he dealt with blister problems last season that affected him over a span of five starts. Analyzing Fried’s pitch chart reveals the difficulties he encountered, particularly with his cutters and four-seam fastballs, which missed their intended targets significantly. These pitches, ideally aimed at the letters, were not executing correctly, a potential indicator of an underlying issue. When a blister or hotspot arises, it can significantly hinder a pitcher’s ability to apply the necessary pressure on the baseball, resulting in pitches that fail to sink as intended.

In an effort to compensate for these mechanical issues, pitchers often resort to quickening their arm action, which can further disrupt their usual pitching form. Throughout the game, Fried exhibited a more violent fall-off the mound than fans are accustomed to seeing, raising concerns that he may be dealing with a hotspot. As the saying goes, “break out the pickle juice” — a humorous nod to the remedies often sought in such situations.

Despite the alarming nature of his exit, there is a silver lining. Fried’s proactive decision to leave the game suggests he was aware of the problem, potentially negating the need for immediate imaging or further diagnosis. However, given his history with injuries and the current struggles of the Yankees, a swift resolution would be highly beneficial.

Unfortunately, the situation appears more serious than just blisters. With Gerrit Cole nearing a return from his own Tommy John surgery rehabilitation, the news of Fried needing tests on his elbow is undoubtedly concerning for the team and its fans.

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