NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 16: Max Fried #54 of the New York Yankees warms up in the bullpen before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium on April 16, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images)
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The New York Yankees entered September with little margin for error, and Monday’s loss to the Los Angeles Angels only underscored how quickly their playoff position could become uncomfortable if their starting pitching continues to falter.
In the latest concerning performance, starter Elmer Rodriguez struggled against one of the worst teams in the American League.
“They wasted a chance to pick up a game on the (Tampa Bay) Rays, remaining 4 ¹/₂ games behind them for the division, while the (Boston) Red Sox moved back within three games of the Yankees for the top AL wild card,” the New York Post’s Greg Joyce wrote of Monday’s defeat. “Any chance the Yankees had of coming back after Rodriguez spotted the Angels (53-85) a 4-0 lead was sabotaged by some sloppy play late with three errors, two charged to José Caballero on one play.”
Rodriguez’s performance makes the health of Max Fried particularly important, given that the Yankees will want to rely on the top of their rotation without much dependable depth. And the Yankees’ $218 million ace recently returned from a second stint on the injured list this season, but his performance was not totally reassuring.
New York Yankees Ace Max Fried’s Return Raises Injury Concerns
Fried pitched effectively last week after dealing with a left elbow bone bruise, giving the Yankees reason to believe their rotation could eventually stabilize for the postseason.
However, the outing did not completely eliminate concerns surrounding the veteran left-hander for those watching closely.
“And, while Max Fried pitched well Saturday night in his return from his second stint on the IL with a left elbow bone bruise, Fox analyst Adam Wainwright raised concerns about the way the left-hander was finishing his pitches – ominous insight from a former pitcher who dealt with the same injury in his career,” Ken Rosenthal noted for The Athletic.
That observation is notable because Wainwright spent years pitching through his own elbow issues. While his comments do not guarantee that Fried will be unable to bounce back down the stretch, they provide an uncomfortable subplot for a Yankees team that cannot afford another major rotation problem.
New York Yankees Can’t Afford A Max Fried Injury Setback
Fried was limited to 63 pitches and 3 2/3 innings in his return, an understandable workload restriction after his latest absence. The more important question is whether he can continue building toward a full-strength workload without the elbow becoming an issue again.
The Yankees have plenty of star power available for a postseason run, particularly with Aaron Judge working his way back after missing more than three months with a fractured rib. But the team’s ability to end its prolonged World Series drought seems to hinge on the health of its rotation as much as anything else.
“As strong as the Tampa Bay Rays look, holding the best record in the American League, a second World Series appearance by the Yankees in three years should be realistic if Judge is close to his usual self after missing more than three months with a fractured rib,” Rosenthal added. “But that is, if the Yankees’ pitching holds together, which hardly is a sure thing.”
That may be the most important issue facing New York over the season’s final weeks. Fried does not need to dominate immediately, but the Yankees need him healthy enough to become a dependable postseason starter.
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