From Bill Ladson:
During most of the first half, Yankees left-hander Max Fried was dealing as he replaced Gerrit Cole as the ace of the pitching staff. As late as June 25, Fried had a 1.92 ERA in 17 starts.
But it has been rough going since then, including Sunday’s 7-1 loss to the Astros at Yankee Stadium. Fried has allowed 29 runs (24 earned) in his past 36 innings for a 6.00 ERA.
To be successful against Houston, according to manager Aaron Boone, all Fried had to do was throw strike one. Mission accomplished, but Fried couldn’t put hitters away. That’s why he lasted just five innings, allowed four runs and threw 94 pitches (64 strikes).
Fried’s worst inning might have been his last, when he threw 36 pitches. The big blow came when Fried faced Cam Smith, who was down 0-2 in the count. But Smith worked the count full then doubled near the right-field line, scoring Carlos Correa and Christian Walker to make it a four-run game.
I just don’t get it. I get a slump, but I don’t get allowing four runs EVERY FUCKING GAME FOR OVER A MONTH!!
Note that his first bad game he noted he had blister issues. Have they just never gone away? Should this dude simply be on the IL for a couple of weeks? Is this organization handling an injury poorly? That seems so unlike them.
Of course, even if Fried had gone 8 innings and allowed 2 runs, they would have lost the game, since the offense was TERRIBLE.
They simply HAVE to find a way to let Stanton play right field, as he’s one of the only players who is hitting at all.
Everyone else is in a slump, most pathetically being Austin Wells and Jazz Chisholm. But others are struggling, too, like Ryan McMahon, Cody Bellinger, and even Aaron Judge.
Cashman wanted to create a lineup that could tackle lefties, and he has since lost two of the three guys he traded for, and the only two who could hit a little, as both Austin Slater and Amed Rosario are on the IL now. Rosario was looking really good, too, so that fucking sucks.
JC Escarra is back to sit on the bench.
Luckily, the Rangers, Red Sox, and Guardians all lost, as well, so the Yankees didn’t lose ground on anyone but the Mariners and the Blue Jays, and the division was likely lost a long time ago. Really, if they ever start winning baseball games again, they have a pretty good shot at the playoffs. The Rangers are only a game over .500!
The featured image is Max Fried ashamed of himself, as he should be.
Since Judge’s day off against KC, the Yankees have gone 16-25 (.390) and he’s hit .239 with a .917 OPS and 12 HRs. Prior to that day, the Yankees were 41-25 (.621) and Judge was hitting .394 with a 1.269 OPS. In short, fire Boone and Cashman. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
Man, that off day pissed me off so much. He had a home run streak at the time, too, right?
That they won’t even send Wells to SWB to work out his problems is totally on Cashman.
Same way they didn’t send Volpe down in 2023 or 2024. That would be admitting he made a mistake which he will never do.
It’s amazing that I now hate the organization without even thinking yet of Lonn Trost or Randy Levine.
it’s come to this, has it
At least Stanton is playing right field tonight. Rice also seems to slowly but surely be taking over the primary catcher gig.
And PGold against a RHP
Goldy against a righty sucks, but if Rice is catching, you gotta do it.
Beats Wells against anyone. Small sample 88 PAs Escarra against RHP 188/616. In the minors last year he hit 270/818 vs RHPs.
For his minor league career JC hit 251/)49, what did Cash see?
Escarra’s elite framing.
I think it’s starting to be obvious that the Yankees are overvaluing certain skills and losing a lot of production in other areas that might be more valuable.
With Tucker slumping hard, and his age not exactly being young, would it make more sense to just re-sign Bellinger at this point? It would give them more room to work with the cap. Maybe something like, 8 years/$200 million?
I guess it depends on what Tucker is going to want. They will definitely need some payroll flexibility. They’ll still owe Stanton $54m over the next two seasons PLUS Fried’s contract more than doubles after next season. They’re going to owe $176m to just Judge, Cole, Rodon, Fried, and … Ryan McMahon in 2027. That’s nuts considering that outside of Judge I wouldn’t count on any of the other four to provide 5 or more WAR. And it could be a stretch for a 35 yo Judge.
Hopefully, three of Schlittler, Warren, Gil, and Schmidt plus 1-2 other arms out of AA can be servicable starters to back up Cole, Rodon and Fried.
I like Bellinger a lot, he provides a lot of value with his defense at multiple positions as well as a good enough bat.
No, Bellinger turns 31 in 2026. Four years max, maybe a fifth year option.
Picked a lousy day to trek down there yesterday. Really thought when Boonie got tossed they’d have a shot.
You left Saratoga during the meet??
Shit, I better get out there an extra day this week. All my money ain’t gonna lose itself.
I believe it is over the next three seasons and comes to $44 million. The Marlins are on the hook for $10 million in 2026 and 2027. I doubt they will pick up the club option in 2028 and the Yankees buy it out for $10 million, which the Marlins may have to pay. Not sure about that last part though.
So if the Marlins have to contribute $10 million in 2028 whether or not the Yankees pick up the club option (they won’t), that would be $34 million the Yankees are on the hook for 2026-2027.
Tucker’s going to have to be cheaper given this season, no? Who’s likely to be a star going forward? Because they desperately need one more big-time – not just nice, not just better than average, but fearsome – bat in this line-up.
I like Bellinger, but I’m doubt he can be that. If you’re not sanguine that Tucker will, then – who?
Actually, looking at it, Tucker’s 18th in the league in OPS even with this. That’s got to be the best bet, I think.
Spencer Jones.
A Yankee minor leaguer coming to the Yankees? Unless he’s Judge 2, he’ll mash for 2 months, then turn into Volpe (if not Wells).
Batters hitting 400 with two outs and he’s not a Yankee?
That one didn’t die at the warning track.
Just keep proving me wrong, Cody!
Earlier in the season I was giving Cash props for getting Jazz. Last 28 days 200/564, last 7 105/308. There’s only so many guys you can hide in the lineup.
Jazz has been… uh… bad.
Wells, Jazz, phenom, McMahon, Martian-they can run but they can’t hide.
We got a run, now if Warren can pitch 7 scoreless and Warren and Bernard can get the last 2 we might win. As was proven yesterday, pitchers with 5+eras are tough to score on.
Gianni
Home run or bust. I choose home run.