Yankees New Ace Points Out the Obvious in First Comments Since Gerrit Cole Injury

Yankees New Ace Points Out the Obvious in First Comments Since Gerrit Cole Injury image

Max Fried isn’t making any grand promises after Gerrit Cole’s Tommy John surgery announcement. Instead, the Yankees’ new ace is keeping it refreshingly real.

“At the end of the day, no one is Gerrit Cole, right?” Fried told MLB.com on Tuesday. “I’ve got to take the ball every time that I take the ball. It doesn’t matter if he was on the mound or not. Realistically, it’s just about doing my job.”

The 31-year-old southpaw isn’t trying to replace the irreplaceable. He’s simply focused on being himself.

“For me, I have to be Max Fried,” he continued. “I can’t try to fill anyone else’s shoes. I’ve pitched with a lot of really great teammates and stuff like that. I have to know what makes me successful and not try to be someone I’m not.”

That approach has served Fried well throughout his career. The Yankees didn’t hand him an eight-year, $218 million contract this offseason for bombastic quotes – they paid for his consistent excellence on the mound. Over eight seasons with the Braves, Fried compiled a 3.07 ERA and twice finished in the top five of NL Cy Young voting.

His steady demeanor matches his pitching style. Fried isn’t flashy, but he’s reliable and effective – exactly what the Yankees need with Cole sidelined.

Despite being the de facto ace now, Fried likely won’t get the Opening Day nod against Toronto on March 27. Aaron Boone told reporters Tuesday that the rotation schedule they’d been working with – which had Cole penciled in for Opening Day – doesn’t align with Fried’s current throwing program.

That’s fine by Fried. Whenever he makes his Yankees debut, he’ll be focused on being the best version of himself – not trying to be someone he’s not. And that’s exactly what the Yankees want from thier new frontline starter.

What’s Next for the Yankees Rotation?

With Cole out, the Yankees will lean heavily on Fried, Carlos Rodón, and Marcus Stroman to anchor their rotation. Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil are expected to round out the starting five, with Nestor Cortes potentially working his way back from injury as the season progresses.

Luke Bennett avatar
Luke Bennett
7 months ago