With one out within the fourth inning and Max Fried making ready a 3-2 supply to freshly-promoted Pink Sox rookie Jhostynxon Garcia, the Yankees’ southpaw acquired an sudden mound go to on Friday night time.
However the go to didn’t come from Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone, pitching coach Matt Blake, or perhaps a teammate. As an alternative, a unfastened squirrel approached Fried on the bump, coming inside inches of his toes earlier than being shooed away. The critter then scampered towards Ben Rice at first base and, ultimately, Cody Bellinger in proper discipline earlier than looking for shelter in Yankee Stadium’s digital scoreboard in proper.
“I saw him running at me, and my first thought was, ‘Don’t do anything to embarrass yourself,’” Fried mentioned.
Happily for Fried, the squirrely encounter ended up being his closest name of the night time, because the ace held Boston scoreless for six innings whereas totaling 4 hits, three walks and 7 strikeouts over 99 pitches. Sadly for the Yankees, the efficiency didn’t result in a win, as Boston squeaked by with a 1-0 victory.
The Yankees are actually 1-7 towards the Pink Sox this season. Boston, in the meantime, now has a half-game lead over the Yankees atop the American League Wild Card standings.
“I don’t like losing to anyone, but you never want to lose to the Sox,” Aaron Boone mentioned. “They’ve had our number here for this stretch, and we get a chance to change that tomorrow.”
Whereas the rival Pink Sox remained a thorn within the Yankees’ facet on Friday, Fried’s much-needed return to type offered a silver lining.
The ace had been dreadful in his final eight begins, recording a 6.80 ERA over 41 innings. Fried, signed to a record-breaking deal over the winter, had beforehand posted a 1.92 ERA over his first 17 begins with the Yankees, however command over his seven-pitch arsenal eluded him all through his skid.
The Yankees had bother figuring out precisely why Fried lacked management — they’ve repeatedly mentioned a pre-All-Star break blister hasn’t been a difficulty since therapeutic weeks in the past — however an absence of first-pitch strikes and misplaced curveballs didn’t do the pitcher any favors all through his scuffles.
Previous to Friday’s sport, Blake mentioned that Fried had been too depending on his cutter, his most-used pitch, “to a certain extent.” Fried had used the pitch at a 31.1% clip, however its utilization dropped to 16% on Friday.
“Maybe a little bit,” Fried mentioned when requested if groups had been looking his cutter. “Definitely, it’s a pitch that I’ve been using and had success with. But I just wanted to be able to use both sides of the plate and be able to change speeds. That’s what I do really well.”
Fried used his sinker, usually his third-most used pitch, probably the most on Friday, throwing it 23% of the time.
“Rebalancing the arsenal a little bit would probably go a long way for him,” Blake mentioned pregame, providing a touch of what was to return.
Alas, Fried’s first robust begin shortly couldn’t final all night time, and the Yankees needed to flip the sport over to their inconsistent bullpen within the seventh. That’s when Mark Leiter Jr. surrendered back-to-back doubles to Nathaniel Lowe and Connor Wong, leading to the one run of the sport.
The Yankees’ offense additionally spoiled Fried’s recalibration, mustering simply three hits and a stroll over seven innings towards Pink Sox starter Brayan Bello. The righty has dominated the Bombers in two begins this season, refusing to permit a run over 14 frames.
“It felt like he had his best stuff tonight,” Ben Rice mentioned. “Stuff was moving well, just getting away from the barrel.”
The Yankees additionally ran themselves out of a chance within the sixth inning, as Austin Wells was doubled up after wandering too far off first base on a Trent Grisham liner to brief.
“Can’t get doubled off there,” Boone mentioned, repeating phrases he’s used far too typically during the last two months. “It’s one thing, a bullet to like the second basemen or something where you flinch and they grab you, but across the diamond like that? Even if you flinch at it, you gotta know to sit down. That’s one that we need back.”
The Yankees had one other mistake within the ninth inning, as Anthony Volpe handed up a routine out at first base and as an alternative tried to throw behind Jarren Duran for a tag play at second base after Ceddanne Rafaela hit a grounder to the shortstop. No outs had been recorded on the play.
Whereas the blunder didn’t come again to chew the Yankees — Volpe finally threw Duran out at dwelling plate — Boone defended the play.
“It’s obviously not the right play, but it’s a little bit of a heady play too,” Boone mentioned. “I mean, are we going to really dive into that one a lot? I mean, I get it, he wasn’t out, but it’s kind of a heads up [play], almost got a guy napping.”
Initially Printed: August 22, 2025 at 9:33 PM EDT
