The New York Yankees are making a late push in the AL East race, and their captain just made a bold statement about the team’s newest ace. Following a dominant 9–1 win over the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium, outfielder Aaron Judge praised Max Fried—who threw seven strong innings with one earned run, two walks, and seven strikeouts on 107 pitches. The message came through loud and clear — the club trusts its frontline starter heading into October.

The win marked New York’s 90th of the season and kept them neck-and-neck with the Toronto Blue Jays for the division lead. Judge, who crushed his 50th and 51st home runs of the year in the blowout victory, praised the impact of the team’s top offseason addition.

In a video posted by SNY’s Yankees Videos on X (formerly known as Twitter), Judge was asked what Fried has meant to the team in 2025. His answer was brief—but powerful.

“He's been an ace”

Judge expanded on the praise, highlighting the southpaw’s leadership, work ethic, and smooth transition from the Atlanta Braves to the Bronx. His comments underscored Fried’s importance, especially with the Yankees rotation navigating injuries and relying on young arms.

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Fried has delivered on the praise with a 19-5 record, 2.86 ERA, and 195 strikeouts in the 2025 MLB season. With Gerrit Cole still sidelined, he’s been a steady anchor in the rotation alongside Luis Gil and Carlos Rodon as the Yankees prepare for October.

Judge’s comments come at a pivotal time, with just four games left in the regular season and the Yankees tied with the Blue Jays at 90-68. Toronto holds the tiebreaker, but New York’s four-game win streak has built real momentum.

The Yankees slugger’s message doesn’t just hype Fried up—it signals confidence in New York’s push to reclaim the division and make a deep postseason run.

If the 2021 World Series champion keeps pitching like an ace and Judge continues leading the lineup, the Yankees' pursuit of their 28th title could feel more real than ever.