The Yankees starting rotation was one day away from finally being at full strength.
Instead, it was dealt a critical blow.
On the eve of Carlos Rodon's return from the IL, the Yanks sent out a stunning update Monday evening, announcing that Max Fried was placed on the 15-day IL with a bone bruise in his left elbow. The diagnosis is the same one that sidelined the three-time All-Star for nearly two months earlier in the season.
If the same timeline is needed to recover from this injury, Fried's season is almost certainly over. The Yanks were off on Monday, so any further information on the injury and potential recovery timeline will likely have to wait until Aaron Boone speaks to the media before Tuesday's series opener in Baltimore.
Fried, despite his lengthy absence from the first bone bruise, had been once again putting together a sensational season since signing an eight-year deal with the Yanks. In 86.1 innings, the lefty holds a 2.81 ERA and had been a pillar of a dominant Yanks quartet of Fried, Gerrit Cole, Cam Schlittler, and Ryan Weathers that have routinely shut down opposing lineups and kept the Bombers afloat despite the Yankees struggling to find any sense of consistent offense.
The injury to Fried is the latest devastating loss for the Yankees, who are still waiting on the returns of Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Cody Bellinger.
It appears to be the same injury that sidelined Fried for two months.
It appears to be the same injury that sidelined Fried for two months.
