The New York Yankees plan to have left-hander Max Fried (finger) make his first start of the second half of the season in Wednesday's series finale against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays in Canada, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. Meanwhile, rookie Cam Schlittler (arm), who has been dealing with arm soreness, is scheduled to start on Tuesday, while left-hander Carlos Rodon will go in the series opener on Monday. Fried avoided a trip to the injured list after he was pulled from his start early last Saturday against the Cubs due to a blister on his left index finger. The 31-year-old All-Star has been excellent in his first year in the Bronx with an 11-3 record, 2.43 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 113 K's in 20 starts, but he'll be a much riskier fantasy play next week on the road against the first-place Jays. Schlittler will be even shakier as a DFS streamer in just his second career MLB start.

New York Yankees left-hander Max Fried (finger) said he's "hopeful" that he will be able to make his first start of the second half of the season in the series in Canada against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays next week, which begins on Monday, per Newsday's Erik Boland. Fried was pulled early from his final start of the first half last Saturday due to a blister on his left index finger, but he's been playing catch since his blister popped and will avoid a stint on the injured list for now. The Yankees chose not to have Fried pitch against his old team, the Atlanta Braves, this weekend in the first series of the second half. The 31-year-old southpaw has been one of the best lefty starters in the league this year -- he's gone 11-3 with a 2.43 ERA and 113 K's in 122 innings -- but he'll be a bit more risky if he makes his next start in Toronto against the first-place Blue Jays.

According to The Athletic's Chris Kirschner, New York Yankees left-hander Max Fried (finger) isn't listed as a starter for the first series of the second half of the season this weekend in Atlanta against his former team, the Braves. It looks like the Yankees are exercising caution with one of the best lefty arms in the league after Fried was forced to leave his final start before the All-Star break last Saturday with a blister on his left index finger. The Yankees haven't announced when the 31-year-old southpaw will make his first start of the second half, but there's a good chance it will come in next week's series on the road in Canada against the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. With Fried not starting this weekend, the Yankees will use right-hander Ian Hamilton in an opener role to kick off the second half at Truist Park. Fried could be a little more volatile in his first start in the second half, whenever that may be.

New York Yankees left-hander Max Fried (finger) said it's still too soon to know if he'll pitch against the Atlanta Braves after the All-Star break, but his blister is moving in the "right direction" and "getting better," the New York Daily News' Gary Phillips reports. Fried exited in his start against the Chicago Cubs on July 12 after what appeared to be a blister on his left index finger. Although it is encouraging news that he is getting better, blisters are an interesting injury because the skin needs time to heal, which in some cases could be days, and in others, a couple of weeks. Although it's nice for the Yankees and fantasy managers to know it's not a serious injury to his shoulder or elbow, it is possible that he may need to skip a start or perhaps wait a few extra days after the All-Star break to toe the rubber again. Fried has enjoyed one of his better seasons in his professional career thus far with a 2.43 ERA and 1.01 WHIP, and he is holding opponents to a .211 batting average in 122 innings pitched. Once healed from this blister issue, fantasy managers can make him a set-and-forget type of player in their lineups.

New York Yankees ace Max Fried (finger) exited his start against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday with what appeared to be a blister on his left thumb, Jack Curry of YES Network reports. The Yankees replaced him with right-hander Ian Hamilton. Fried didn't resemble his All-Star self Saturday, as he labored through three innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks. The 31-year-old left-hander struck out two during a 73-pitch outing in which he totaled just 39 strikes. Notably, Fried has landed on the injured list multiple times in his career because of blisters. The Yankees should have more on his status after the game. UPDATE: The Yankees announced that Fried has a blister on his left index finger.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried allowed six hits and two earned runs in Sunday's 2-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox. He walked two and struck out nine, falling to 9-2 through 15 starts. Fried allowed a run in the first inning and was able to keep Boston off the board until the fifth, when Rafael Devers tattooed his final long ball in a Red Sox uniform over the Green Monster to make it 2-0. Despite yielding two or fewer earned runs this season for the fourteenth time, his offense failed to support him -- a theme from this series, as Boston swept New York and outscored them 8-4. Fried still boasts a superb 1.89 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 90:20 K:BB ratio through 95 innings, and will look to keep it rolling against the visiting Baltimore Orioles his next time out.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried yielded six hits and two earned runs over seven innings in Tuesday's 10-2 win over the Kansas City Royals. He struck out four and walked none -- improving to a stellar 9-1 record through 14 appearances this season. The former No. 7 overall pick fired 61 of 91 pitches for strikes and picked up 12 whiffs (eight with his fastball) to notch his tenth quality start. Fried has been exemplary in 2025, sporting a pristine 1.84 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 81:18 K:BB ratio through 88 innings. He's allowed two or fewer earned runs in all but one start. The 31-year-old lefty will look to continue dealing in his next outing, which should come early next week on the road against the Boston Red Sox.

New York Yankees ace Max Fried (8-1) spun another gem on Thursday against the Cleveland Guardians to notch his eighth win of the season. The left-hander limited the Guardians to one hit (a single) over six innings while striking out seven and walking two in the Yankees' 4-0 victory. Fried, a former Brave, signed an eight-year, $218 million contract with the Yankees in the offseason and has looked well worth the investment so far. After shutting down Cleveland, Fried owns an elite 1.79 ERA with 77 strikeouts, 18 walks, and a 0.94 WHIP in 81 innings. He's scheduled to face the Kansas City Royals on the road next Wednesday. The Royals have mustered an unimposing .232/.290/.303 line against southpaws, which bodes well for Fried.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried was extremely sharp on the mound during Saturday's game against the Colorado Rockies. Fried was nearly untouchable in this game outside of a Michael Toglia triple to score a run in the fourth inning. The left-hander would throw 7 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run on six hits, while striking out seven hitters in the win. Fried improves to an unbelievable 7-0 with a 1.29 ERA as he threw his seventh quality start in his last eight appearances. He's slated to take the ball against the Los Angeles Dodgers next week.

New York Yankees left-hander continued his 2025 dominance on Sunday evening against the New York Mets. Although he walked away with a no-decision, he threw six innings, allowed two earned runs, three hits, two walks, and tallied eight strikeouts. Fried has made ten starts on the season and has yet to allow more than two earned runs in any of his starts. He now owns a 1.29 ERA in 62 innings pitched, a 23.9 strikeout percentage, and has firmly positioned himself to be in the running for the 2025 AL Cy Young Award winner, something the 31-year-old has not achieved in his career. Next up for Fried is an outing in Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried continued his dominant start to the season on Wednesday, tossing seven one-run innings in a tough luck no-decision against the San Diego Padres. The Yankees did end up winning the game 4-3, but it took extra innings. Fried was electric in this one, allowing just five hits while striking out eight and walking none. He has been nothing short of brilliant in his first season in New York, going 6-0 with a 1.05 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts in 51 IP so far. The lefty has also rattled off seven straight starts where he has allowed two runs or less, and six straight quality starts. Fried has become a top-tier pitcher in fantasy and is an absolute must-start every time he is out there. His next start is likely to come on the road on Monday in a tough matchup against the Seattle Mariners.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried allowed one hit and no runs in seven innings pitched in his team's 3-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. The 31-year-old walked two and struck out six in the quality start, improving his record to 6-0 on the season. The veteran fired 61 of 92 pitches for strikes while letting up a lone single -- in the fifth inning -- during the scoreless gem. Fried has been spectacular all season, and Friday was no different. He's allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of his seven appearances, with five straight quality starts, and one earned over his last 20.2 innings pitched. He'll carry a microscopic 1.01 ERA and 0.94 WHIP into his next start, which should come in the latter half of their series with the Padres next week.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried dominated the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, shutting them out for 7 innings in a 4-0 win. Fried allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out two. Fried actually took a no-hitter into the eighth, but upon further review there was a scoring change in the sixth that gave the Rays their first hit. The freshly signed Yankee has looked good in pinstripes, pitching to a 1.42 ERA and 1.01 WHIP with 30 strikeouts in 31 IP. Expect a little bit of regression with the ratios, but Fried should be a bona fide must-start pitcher in all fantasy formats this season.

New York Yankees left-hander Max Fried was electric in Wednesday's 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers in the series finale at Comerica Park, tossing seven shutout innings while allowing five hits, walking none and striking out 11 for his second win of the year. It was easily Fried's best performance early on in his first year with the Yankees after he gave up seven runs (three earned) on 13 hits (one homer) with three walks and 10 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings over his first two outings against the Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates. The cold weather in Detroit probably helped his cause for his first quality start of the 2025 season. With the strong effort, the 31-year-old southpaw lowered his ERA on the year to a stingy 1.56. He'll have a tough matchup his next time out against the Kansas City Royals next week, but Fried is a must-start in fantasy.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried may not get the nod on Opening Day. Manager Aaron Boone noted that "it might not line up" for Fried to take the mound that day. Fantasy managers should monitor his status, but it seems Carlos Rodon may be the likely candidate to open their season. Earlier in the offseason, the Yankees signed Fried to a massive eight-year $218 million contract. With Gerrit Cole (elbow) set to undergo Tommy John and Luis Gil (lat) expected to miss at least three months of action, Fried and Rodon are set to lead the rotation. Last season, Fried logged 174 1/3 innings of work with a 3.25 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. He tallied 166 strikeouts and generated an elite 59.2 percent ground-ball rate. If Rodon were to get the nod, he would be a risky play in DFS facing the reigning NL Central Champions, the Milwaukee Brewers. Last season, Rodon held a 3.96 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP.

New York Yankees left-hander Max Fried will make his Yankees Grapefruit League debut on Monday, March 3, against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Steinbrenner Field, according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. Fried will be pitching in the Bronx for the first time in 2025 after signing an eight-year, $218 million deal with the Yankees over the winter. The 31-year-old southpaw will serve as the team's No. 2 starting pitcher behind right-hander Gerrit Cole after spending the first eight years of his major-league career with the Atlanta Braves. Fried is no stranger to injuries, but he mostly stayed healthy in his final year with the Braves in 2024 and finished with a 3.25 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 166 strikeouts and 57 walks in 174 1/3 innings over 29 regular-season starts. He has only gone over 180 innings once in his eight seasons and has a below-average strikeout rate, making him more of a low-end No. 2/high-end No. 3 fantasy starting pitcher.

Free-agent left-hander Max Fried and the New York Yankees agreed to an eight-year, $218 million deal on Tuesday, pending a physical, according to sources. It becomes the largest guarantee in baseball history for a left-handed pitcher and sends Fried from the National League East with the Atlanta Braves to the American League East. Fried will not have any deferred money and won't be able to opt out of the contract. Although injuries have set back the 30-year-old southpaw before, the Yankees were willing to take the risk because of Fried's ace potential when healthy. The two-time All-Star has a career 3.07 ERA (3.29 FIP), a 1.16 WHIP and 23.9% strikeout rate in his eight big-league seasons (all in Atlanta). He has made at least 28 starts in four of the last five full seasons but he also has topped 180 innings just once. The move to the AL East won't be easy, but Fried's ground-ball tendencies in the Bronx should help.

Free-agent left-hander Max Fried, the top remaining lefty starter on the open market this offseason, is expected to choose his next team by this Thursday, according to major-league sources briefed on the talks. The finalists for Fried's services figures to be the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays out of the American League East. Those three teams are also believed to be going after free-agent right-hander Corbin Burnes. The Texas Rangers are also in on Fried, but it's uncertain if they have the ability to invest heavily. Fried, a two-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and former World Series champion, is expected to command a deal for five to six years at 30 years old. The Yankees are "all over" Fried after failing to re-sign outfielder Juan Soto, according to one source with knowledge of the talks. If healthy, Fried has the ability to be a fantasy ace, although a move to the AL East could be tough.

While the Yankees are still considered one of the four serious contenders to sign Juan Soto, they have been making alternative plans in the event they are unable to bring back the superstar outfielder. New York has been said to be interested in shortstop Willy Adames, but could also be willing to spend big on pitching, having recently conducted meetings with star pitchers Max Fried and Corbin Burnes. Left-hander Fried earned his second All-Star nomination in 2024, pitching to a 3.25 ERA (3.33 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with a 15.3% K-BB% in 29 starts. Right-hander Burnes, a Cy Young winner in 2021, made his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance in 2024, posting a 2.92 ERA (3.55 FIP) and a 1.10 WHIP with a 17.0% K-BB% in 32 starts. Either one would fortify a strong rotation that already has former Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole, 2x All-Star Carlos Rodon, and 2024 AL Rookie of the Year winner ... [More]

With the Los Angeles Dodgers signing left-hander Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million deal on Tuesday night, USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale reports that the Boston Red Sox are now focusing on free-agent lefty Max Fried to upgrade their starting rotation this offseason. In addition to Fried, the BoSox are reportedly upping their efforts to land free-agent superstar outfielder Juan Soto, so Boston appears to be quite serious about opening up their wallet this winter. Fried, who has been an All-Star for the Atlanta Braves in two of the last three seasons, bounced back health-wise in 2024 to go 11-10 with a 3.25 ERA (3.33 FIP), a 1.16 WHIP and 166:57 K:BB in 174 1/3 innings over 29 regular-season starts. Fried isn't a huge strikeout guy and relies more on inducing ground balls, so a move to a bad defensive team in the Red Sox in the tough AL East might not be the best landing spot for fantasy purposes.