The New York Yankees will begin their American League Wild Card series against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night. Ace Max Fried will make the start and attempt to get the club on the right track. It does not seem as though the Yankees’ southpaw is taking his mission lightly.
Fried recently spoke about his mentality entering New York’s impending showdown with Boston, and did not mince words about the sense of urgency he will provide.
“There's no guarantee that I'm going to have another start,” Fried told SNY. “From here on out, we're going to empty the tank and leave everything that we have out there.”
The 31-year-old was exceptional during the regular season. He led all of baseball with 19 wins and also posted a 2.86 ERA across 195.1 innings of work. According to Baseball Savant, he ranks in the 94th percentile in Pitching Run Value.
“He's been a great pitcher in this league now for a while,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone told MLB.com. “That being said, you're one of the big free agents out there, you come to New York, that can be a challenging and daunting thing. He's handled it so well, so seamlessly.
“Forget the pitcher for a minute — just his makeup, the person, the teammate he is. It has been more than I could have ever imagined, honestly.”
Fried owns a career 5.10 ERA in the playoffs, but tossed six innings of scoreless baseball in a deciding Game 6 of the 2021 World Series while he was a member of the Atlanta Braves.
Fried had success when he faced the Red Sox during the regular season. He earned a 1.96 ERA in three starts against Boston and will try to outduel Garrett Crochet in Game 1.
“I'm expecting it to be electric,” Fried said. “The fans have been amazing all year, and I expect nothing else.”
