The New York Yankees continue to deal with injury questions in the bullpen. This includes pitcher Max Fried, who had to prematurely exit a game due to an elbow issue.
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The left-handed pitcher, the Opening Day starter, exited Wednesday's 7-0 loss to the Baltimore Orioles after only playing three innings. He posted two strikeouts while allowing five hits and three runs. The team ultimately pulled him from the lineup.
The 10-year veteran had to return to New York so that he could undergo imaging with team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad.
"It's just a little uncomfortable and tight, especially between innings," Fried said about the lingering issue. "It's hard for me to loosen up. I just wasn't sharp, and it was just hard to keep bouncing back.
"I definitely wasn't helping the team. I could've kept pitching, but at that point, it was like, 'Hey, let's make sure we can calm this thing down.'"
"I'm not too worried about a super long-term thing."
Max Fried describes how his elbow felt prior to his exit with @M_Marakovits. pic.twitter.com/xIIo57SjeA
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 13, 2026
The team returns to New York after going 1-5 against Milwaukee and Baltimore, a series in which the pitcher appeared three times and secured the lone win. The season will continue with the Subway Series against the New York Mets.
While the Yankees wait to determine Fried's exact timeline, they will move forward with a bullpen featuring Cam Schlittler, Carlos Rodon, Ryan Weathers, and Will Warren. Gerrit Cole should also return to the team in the coming weeks after making five rehab starts in the minor league.
"I guess you never know, but I'm definitely planning on this being sooner rather than later," Fried said about his recovery timeline, per the team website. "I don't want to put any timelines or anything like that.
"I'm not too worried about a super long-term thing. If I can, I would love to be able to make my next start, but we'll see."
Fried is currently in the second year of his eight-year, $218 million contract. This year, he earns a base salary of $12 million with a signing bonus of $10 million.
