Max Fried Stats: TAMPA, Florida — It won’t be remembered as his Yankees debut, but Max Fried said he felt “a little kick of adrenaline” when he made the long walk from the right-field bullpen to the mound at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Monday evening, his first game action of the spring. “It was …
Max Fried Stats:
TAMPA, Florida — It won’t be remembered as his Yankees debut, but Max Fried said he felt “a little kick of adrenaline” when he made the long walk from the right-field bullpen to the mound at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Monday evening, his first game action of the spring.
“It was good to just put on spikes and get into a real game environment, have some runners on base and the defense behind me,” Fried said after exiting the Yankees’ 12-3 Grapefruit League win over the Pirates.
“I’ve had a lot of live BP sessions—just going up against hitters, reading their reactions, and seeing how things play out. “If I had to summarize the past few months, I would say I am regaining my rhythm and competitive spirit while prioritizing my health, which also feels productive. Everything seems to be falling into place.”
“Fried came out strong in the first inning, delivering a stellar performance that included a strikeout of O’Neil Cruz on a well-placed third strike. In the second inning, he allowed a single and hit a batter, but continued to stay composed on the mound.” He was out with two runners on in the third inning, with the runs being charged to Fried when reliever Ryan Anderson surrendered a three-run home run by Joey Bart.
Overall, Fried allowed two hits, one walk and two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings, throwing strikes on 31 of 49 pitches.
Aaron Boone’s words really bring out the excitement of the moment. You can almost feel the heat—both from the weather and from those 97 mph fastballs. It’s cool how he pointed out the full arsenal too—
sharp curveballs, solid changeups—it’s like watching a well-rounded developer showcase their skills in different frameworks. Kind of like when you dive into Flutter, Java, and now Node.js, covering all bases to build something truly impressive. A performance like that, whether on the mound or in coding, always stands out! So I think it was a really good step for him.”
Fried, who said he wanted to keep his pitch count between 80 and 90 by Opening Day, will probably remember the outing more for what happened after his final pitch.
The left-hander spent much of the next few innings near the top of the dugout with Roger Clemens, who enthusiastically analyzed Fried’s performance.
Fried said Clemens offered advice about adjustments in the game, such as mentally locking back in to focus on the next pitch when the previous pitch didn’t go your way.
“It was really cool to sit there and understand the mind of a guy who won seven Cy Young [awards],” Fried said. “You sit back and truly take in what he has to say. The fact that he could sit and watch and give me some feedback about what he saw, and pitching in general, is really special.”
TAMPA, Florida — It won’t be remembered as his Yankees debut, but Max Fried said he felt “a little kick of adrenaline” when he made the long walk from the right-field bullpen to the mound at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Monday evening, his first game action of the spring.
“It was good to just put on spikes and get into a real game environment, have some runners on base and the defense behind me,” Fried said after exiting the Yankees’ 12-3 Grapefruit League win over the Pirates.
“I’ve had a lot of live BP sessions—just going up against hitters, reading their reactions, and seeing how things play out. “If I had to summarize the past few months, I would say I am regaining my rhythm and competitive spirit while prioritizing my health, which also feels productive. Everything seems to be falling into place.”
“Fried came out strong in the first inning, delivering a stellar performance that included a strikeout of O’Neil Cruz on a well-placed third strike. In the second inning, he allowed a single and hit a batter, but continued to stay composed on the mound.” He was out with two runners on in the third inning, with the runs being charged to Fried when reliever Ryan Anderson surrendered a three-run home run by Joey Bart.
Overall, Fried allowed two hits, one walk and two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings, throwing strikes on 31 of 49 pitches.
Aaron Boone’s words really bring out the excitement of the moment. You can almost feel the heat—both from the weather and from those 97 mph fastballs. It’s cool how he pointed out the full arsenal too—sharp curveballs, solid changeups—it’s like watching a well-rounded developer showcase their skills in different frameworks. Kind of like when you dive into Flutter, Java, and now Node.js, covering all bases to build something truly impressive. A performance like that, whether on the mound or in coding, always stands out! So I think it was a really good step for him.”
Fried, who said he wanted to keep his pitch count between 80 and 90 by Opening Day, will probably remember the outing more for what happened after his final pitch.
The left-hander spent much of the next few innings near the top of the dugout with Roger Clemens, who enthusiastically analyzed Fried’s performance.
Fried said Clemens offered advice about adjustments in the game, such as mentally locking back in to focus on the next pitch when the previous pitch didn’t go your way.
“It was really cool to sit there and understand the mind of a guy who won seven Cy Young [awards],” Fried said. “You sit back and truly take in what he has to say. The fact that he could sit and watch and give me some feedback about what he saw, and pitching in general, is really special.”
Conclusion:
Max Fried’s spring debut may not officially mark his Yankees debut, but it was an important step in his journey toward Opening Day. He showed flashes of dominance, worked through challenges, and most importantly, felt the rhythm returning to his game. Beyond his performance on the mound, the opportunity to learn from a legend like Roger Clemens added another layer to his growth. With his pitch count building up and his confidence growing, Fried is setting himself up for a strong season ahead. If this outing was any indication, Yankees fans have plenty to be excited about.
