Max Fried teases dream arsenal upgrade with subtle nod to MLB’s "talented" fastball kings

The 2025 All-Star Game brought together some of the best pitchers in the game. Ahead of the Midsummer Classic at Truist Park on Tuesday, pitchers were asked about the pitch they would like to take from other pitchers to add to their arsenal.

In an Instagram video shared by MLB Network, pitchers named the pitch they would add to their arsenal. Seattle Mariners' Bryan Woo, Boston Red Sox's Garrett Crochet and Kansas City Royals' Kris Bubic picked reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal's changeup as the pitch to add to their arsenal.

While Jacob deGrom's fastball was also a popular pick, New York Yankees ace Max Fried gave a nod to the talented flamethrowers in the league.

"We got a lot of really talented guys, of course in fastballs, so probably one of those," Fried said.

While Fried didn't pick a name, MLB Network showed a clip of Pittsburgh Pirates flamethrower Paul Skenes, who has been one of the most electric pitchers in the league.

The Reigning NL Rookie of the Year relies heavily on his fastballs, which averages 98 mph, the second fastest among starters behind Hunter Greene's 99 mph.

Skenes has been one of the fastest hurlers in gathe me a,nd the league was put on notice after he pitched six atinnings 101 mph and above against the Chicago Cubs on his debut at PNC Park.

Max Fried provides update on his potential next start after injury setback

Max Fried made a strong start to the Yankees career after joining the team in the offseason. His stellar performances earned him an All-Star selection that would have seen him return to his former stomping ground in Atlanta.

However, Yankees manager Aaron Boone replaced Fried in the All-Star lineup with Carlos Rodon to manage the former Atlanta Braves pitcher's workload. Fried also sustained a blister in his last start against the Chicago Cubs on July 12.

Fried updated on his injury ahead of the Yankees' series opener against the Braves on Friday. The Yankees pitcher is "hopeful" of returning to the mound in the upcoming series against the Toronto Blue Jays next week.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash