MLB insider dives into how Max Fried’s dominance boosted Yankees in absence of ace Gerrit Cole

The New York Yankees knew they were getting an assured arm when they signed All-Star pitcher Max Fried in the offseason. However, Fried has exceeded expectations in a blistering start that makes him one of the favorites for the American League Cy Young Award this year.

The Yankees received a devastating blow after Gerrit Cole’s season-ending surgery early in the season. Despite Cole’s absence, Fried has been unshakable on the mound, boasting a 7-0 record with an MLB-best 1.29 ERA.

Fried's 8-year, $218,000,000 contract has been hailed as a bargain by Yankees fans as the former Atlanta Braves ace has more than made up for Cole's absence. MLB insider Rob Parker highlighted Fried's dominance which has helped the Yankees keep pace with the Detroit Tigers as two of the best teams in MLB.

Parker said:

"For Max Fried to show up to the Yankees and they lose their ace Gerrit Cole, and he has the pressure of holding this team together. I've been covering baseball for 39 years; I've seen so many players show up in New York, and they can't handle the pressure.

"This guy is undefeated, unbelievable ERA and he's pitched in a situation where he was needed, like the Yankees are in first place. They're the best team in the American League, not the Tigers, and Max Fried is a big reason why; he has been phenomenal full credit to Brian Cashman. This Yankees rotation has been supporting Fried. They're 10-1 in games when Fried starts."

Expand Tweet

Max Fried faces stern test for Yankees' World Series replay against Dodgers

One of the biggest tests of Max Fried’s Yankees career will be Friday when he takes the mound in the series opener against the LA Dodgers. Fried will be up against Tony Gonsolin, facing a stacked Dodgers lineup.

It will be interesting to see how one of the best pitchers this season matches up against three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani, the first hitter to reach 20 home runs this season. The Yankees will hope Fried continues his unbeaten streak against the defending World Series champions.

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.

Know More

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash