Max Fried Injury, Latest on Yankees Star's Elbow and Timeline to Return

New York Yankees ace Max Fried left Wednesday's start against the Baltimore Orioles after three innings due to left elbow posterior soreness, the club announced.

He is set to undergo imaging on his elbow tomorrow, MLB.com's Bryan Hoch reported.

Fried threw 61 pitches before going down the tunnel following the bottom of the third, at which point the Orioles led 3-0.

Fried, 32, is in the second season of his eight-year, $218 million deal with the Yankees.

He has previously dealt with left finger blisters, most recently in a July 2025 game against the Chicago Cubs.

No pitcher has taken on a larger workload this season than Fried, who as of Wednesday leads MLB with 61.2 innings pitched.

Fried struggled with control early in his 10th start of the season. Batters swung at 26 of his pitches and connected on 22, per Baseball Savant.

He ultimately struck out two batters and walked one while allowing five hits and three earned runs through three innings.

Fried also recorded an error in the bottom of the third, when he missed third baseman Ben Rice on a throw across the infield and allowed Baltimore's Blaze Alexander to reach second base on a bunt.

This isn't the first time this season command has been a concern for Fried, who has seen his walk rate climb from 6.4 percent last season to 7.9 percent through his first nine starts of the season.

In an April game against the Boston Red Sox, for example, The Athletic's Brendan Kuty reported struggles with allowing walks prompted Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake to tell Fried to make a mid-game switch away from his windup.

Fried had most recently allowed a season-high five earned runs in six innings against the Milwaukee Brewers last Friday prior to his Wednesday start.

Pete Blackburn stepped onto the mound Wednesday after Fried's exit, allowing three earned runs in two innings as the Orioles extended their lead over the visitors.

Fried's potential injury gives the Yankees even more reason to hope ace Gerrit Cole is nearing his return from injury.

Cole, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery he underwent in March 2025, reached 77 pitches Saturday in his fifth rehab start. His return could help Cam Schlittler and Will Warren handle the Yankees' pitching workload should Fried miss any time due to injury.