NEW YORK–Max Fried did all he could to help place the New York Yankees in a position to win the opening game of their best-of-three American League Wild Card series against the Boston Red Sox, but the southpaw’s herculean start was ultimately overshadowed by a less-than stellar showing from the club’s bullpen and a rally that fell just short.
Despite the 3-1 loss in Game 1, Fried chose to remain optimistic about the team’s chances of keeping their season alive by winning the next two contests.
“We've been doing it over the last month and a half,” Fried said after the game. “We've won a lot of series, and we've dropped the first one and have been able to win the next two. So, it's nothing new. We've got a lot of guys who believe in each other in here.”
Fried excelled and tossed 6.1 innings of scoreless baseball in his first postseason appearance as a Yankee. The 31-year-old only surrendered four hits and three walks while also striking out six batters in the process.
A second-inning home run from Anthony Volpe off of Red Sox starter Garrett Crochet gave New York a 1-0 lead that would hold until Fried departed.
After the three-time All-Star retired one batter in the top of the seventh, Yankees manager Aaron Boone decided to turn to reliever Luke Weaver, who walked Red Sox outfielder Cedanne Rafaela despite working to an initial 0-2 count.
“That's a real tough one to swallow when you had him in an advantage count. He did a really good job of spoiling some pitches, took some shots, and next thing you know, you' 3-2,” Weaver said after the game. “I don't want to give in and just try to throw a cookie over the plate. I'm still trying to execute, and there is a base open, so I'm trying to rifle one, and it just didn't go where I wanted it to.”
Once Rafaela reached following the 11-pitch at-bat, second baseman Nick Sogard earned an effort double that would give the Red Sox runners at second and third. Masataka Yoshida put Boston in front with a two-run single on the next plate appearance.
Fried believed he might have had more in the tank, but Boone ultimately felt as though the All-Star had exerted enough energy during a tricky sixth inning that included an inning-ending double play. The veteran maintained that he would have been willing to give the team more.
“I definitely exerted a lot of energy trying to get out of that, but I definitely had enough in the tank for whatever the team needed,” Fried said.
Crochet was able to complete 7.2 innings and strike out 11 batters, with his only blemish coming in the form of Volpe’s home run. Each side received stellar pitching from their starters, but Crochet gave them enough length to reach Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman.
The Yankees’ rally came up short
Yankees closer David Bednar surrendered an RBI double to Alex Bregman in the top of the ninth that afforded the Red Sox a 3-1 edge.
Down to their final three outs and facing Chapman, Paul Goldschmidt, Aaron Judge, and Cody Bellinger stroked three straight singles. With the chance to potentially tie or re-take the lead, Giancarlo Stanton, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Trent Grisham each failed to make an impact.
“Unfortunately, it didn't work out, but a good job to give ourselves a chance,” Goldschmidt said of the rally.
No team has ever won a three-game Wild Card series after dropping the first contest since the new playoff format was introduced in 2022. New York has been a franchise defined by its history, and these Yankees will now attempt to create a story that's uniquely their own.
“We've been playing with a lot on the line seemingly every single day,” Boone said. “We'll be ready to go, and I expect us to come out and get one tomorrow.”
