Yankees unbeatable when Max Fried is on the mound
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The Yankees are 6-0 in games started by Max Fried and 12-13 when anybody else starts. 

Upon receiving the news of the split on Wednesday night following a series loss to the Orioles, Yankees manager Aaron Boone saw an opportunity to make a bold statement about his team’s potential after the first month of the season.

Boone expressed his confidence, stating, “We’re going to be really good.” He remained composed as he praised the performance of the team’s ace and emphasized the need for continuous improvement to reach their full potential.

With Fried living up to expectations a month into his massive contract, the Yankees have found stability in the absence of the injured Gerrit Cole. Heading into his seventh start of the season, Fried boasts an impressive 1.19 ERA and is set to face the Rays in The Bronx on Friday.

Carlos Rodón has gone to another level over his last three starts, too, giving the look of a strong 1-2 punch of lefties atop the Yankees’ rotation.

Beyond that, the starting staff remains a work in progress without Cole and Luis Gil.

Clarke Schmidt is only three starts into his season after a delayed debut while Will Warren and Carlos Carrasco have been hit or miss in outings that have generally been on the shorter side.


The Yankees are 6-0 in games started by Max Fried.
The Yankees are 6-0 in games started by Max Fried. Jason Szenes / New York Post

Because of that, the Yankees’ bullpen has been asked to carry a heavy load so far, with its 116 ¹/₃ innings marking the seventh-most in the majors entering Thursday.



It has helped that the relief corps has largely been terrific, aside from Devin Williams’ struggles at closer, but in an ideal world, the club’s starters would be able to lighten the relievers’ workload moving forward.

“We just need to be effective,” Boone said after a series bookended by Warren and Carrasco each lasting just 3 ¹/₃ innings — though he indicated they were more aggressive with their bullpen Wednesday because of an off day Thursday.



Fernando Cruz has become a key piece to the Yankees' bullpen.
Fernando Cruz has become a key piece to the Yankees’ bullpen. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Arguably the most encouraging bullpen story through the first month of the season has been Fernando Cruz, who struck out four more batters Wednesday in 1 ²/₃ scoreless innings.

Armed with a nasty splitter, Cruz entered Thursday with 27 strikeouts — the most of any reliever in the majors — in 16 ²/₃ innings to go with a 1.62 ERA.

“Just his demeanor on the mound, his presence, he’s attacking every single hitter,” Aaron Judge said. “When you attack guys like that, that’s when you start to get some of those swings we saw there where they’re kind of in between, almost guessing, ‘Is it the heater? Is it the splitter?’ 

“When you got fastball command like he does and a good feel for that splitter, the action is just insane. He’s going to be a big piece for us now and down the road.”


Williams is two appearances into his demotion from closer, with two scoreless frames to show for it.

The latest came Wednesday night when he pitched the bottom of the seventh with the Yankees trailing 5-4 and kept the Orioles at bay.

“A lot of conviction, aggressive,” Boone said. “Another positive outing for him. Keep building those and stacking those.”

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