Yankees pitcher Max Fried advances toward rehab start

Yankees left‑hander Max Fried is moving closer to returning after a left elbow bone bruise sidelined him on May 13. He completed a second live bullpen session, throwing 36 pitches to teammates Ryan McMahon and Ali Sánchez, and earlier logged a 30‑pitch simulated game against McMahon and Trent Grisham. Manager Aaron Boone praised Fried’s progress, noting the pitcher “recovered really well” and expects another live session later in the week before a minor‑league rehab start.

Fried has not appeared in a major‑league game since his early‑season start against the Orioles, where he posted a 3.21 ERA over 61⅔ innings. His absence comes as the Yankees’ rotation has been hit by injuries to Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt, heightening the need for his return. Fried, who signed an eight‑year, $218 million contract in late 2024, remains optimistic, stating he feels good and is “encouraged” by the recent outings.

The next step, pending a successful bullpen session later this week, will be a rehab start in the minor leagues, bringing the Yankees one step nearer to restoring their starting rotation.