The New York Yankees placed Max Fried on the 15-day injured list Friday with what the team called a left elbow bone bruise. It will not be just a brief stint on the IL.
While Fried told reporters he was encouraged by the imaging and that he doesn’t expect to need surgery, he will be shut down from throwing for a few weeks. The Yankees also said Dr. Neal ElAttrache will review the MRI on Thursday.
Fried exited Wednesday's start against the Baltimore Orioles after three innings, having allowed three runs on five hits and a walk on 61 pitches. He described a hyperextension sensation in the elbow that had come and gone throughout the season before becoming impossible to pitch through.
The 32-year old left-hander has been excellent in 2026, posting a 3.21 ERA over 61 2/3 innings, the most in the majors this season. He signed an eight-year $218 million deal with New York in December 2024, the fourth largest contract ever given to a pure pitcher.
2025 AL — Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
2025 NL — Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates
2024 AL — Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
2024 NL — Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves
2023 AL – Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees
2023 NL – Blake Snell, San Diego Padres
2022 AL — Justin Verlander, Houston Astros
2022 NL — Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins
2021 AL — Robbie Ray, Toronto Blue Jays
2021 NL — Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee Brewers
2020 AL — Shane Bieber, Cleveland Indians
2020 NL — Trevor Bauer, Cincinnati Reds
2019 AL – Justin Verlander, Houston Astros
2019 NL – Jacob deGrom, New York Mets
2018 AL — LHP Blake Snell, Tampa Bay Rays
2018 NL — RHP Jacob deGrom, New York Mets
2017 AL — RHP Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians
2017 NL — RHP Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals
2016 AL — RHP Rick Porcello, Boston Red Sox
2016 NL — RHP Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals
2015 AL — LHP Dallas Keuchel, Houston Astros
2015 NL — RHP Jake Arrieta, Chicago Cubs
2014 AL — RHP Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians
2014 NL — LHP Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
2013 AL — RHP Max Scherzer, Detroit Tigers
2011 AL — RHP Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers
2011 NL — LHP Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
2010 NL — RHP Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies
2008 AL — LHP Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians
2008 NL — RHP Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants
2007 AL — LHP C.C. Sabathia, Cleveland Indians
2006 AL — LHP Johan Santana, Minnesota Twins
2005 AL — RHP Bartolo Colon, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2005 NL — RHP Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals
2004 AL — LHP Johan Santana, Minnesota Twins
2004 NL — RHP Roger Clemens, Houston Astros
2003 AL — RHP Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays
2003 NL — RHP Eric Gagne, Los Angeles Dodgers
2002 AL — LHP Barry Zito, Oakland Athletics
2002 — LHP Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks
2001 AL — RHP Roger Clemens, New York Yankees
2001 NL — LHP Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks
2000 AL — RHP Pedro Martinez, Boston Red Sox
2000 NL — LHP Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks1 / 44
Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2025 AL — Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2025 AL — Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2025 NL — Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2024 AL — Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2024 NL — Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2023 AL – Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2023 NL – Blake Snell, San Diego Padres
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2022 AL — Justin Verlander, Houston Astros
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2022 NL — Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2021 AL — Robbie Ray, Toronto Blue Jays
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2021 NL — Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee Brewers
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2020 AL — Shane Bieber, Cleveland Indians
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2020 NL — Trevor Bauer, Cincinnati Reds
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2019 AL – Justin Verlander, Houston Astros
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2019 NL – Jacob deGrom, New York Mets
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2018 AL — LHP Blake Snell, Tampa Bay Rays
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2018 NL — RHP Jacob deGrom, New York Mets
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2017 AL — RHP Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2017 NL — RHP Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2016 AL — RHP Rick Porcello, Boston Red Sox
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2016 NL — RHP Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals
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2015 AL — LHP Dallas Keuchel, Houston Astros
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2015 NL — RHP Jake Arrieta, Chicago Cubs
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2014 AL — RHP Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2014 NL — LHP Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2013 AL — RHP Max Scherzer, Detroit Tigers
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2011 AL — RHP Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2011 NL — LHP Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2010 NL — RHP Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2008 AL — LHP Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2008 NL — RHP Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2007 AL — LHP C.C. Sabathia, Cleveland Indians
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2006 AL — LHP Johan Santana, Minnesota Twins
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2005 AL — RHP Bartolo Colon, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2005 NL — RHP Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2004 AL — LHP Johan Santana, Minnesota Twins
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2004 NL — RHP Roger Clemens, Houston Astros
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2003 AL — RHP Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2003 NL — RHP Eric Gagne, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2002 AL — LHP Barry Zito, Oakland Athletics
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2002 — LHP Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2001 AL — RHP Roger Clemens, New York Yankees
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2001 NL — LHP Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2000 AL — RHP Pedro Martinez, Boston Red Sox
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Recent MLB Cy Young winners
2000 NL — LHP Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks
Fried has dealt with a series of injuries throughout his career, including Tommy John surgery in 2014 as a minor leaguer with the San Diego Padres. He’s had recurring finger blisters in his early years with Atlanta. He’s also dealt with a concussion, a hamstring strain and left forearm neuritis.
This is his first elbow injury since the Tommy John procedure more than a decade ago.
The Yankees are hoping to get Gerrit Cole back in their rotation within the next few weeks. The 2023 Cy Young Award winner missed all of the 2025 season after Tommy John surgery and has at least one more minor league rehab start to go before returning.
With both aces unavailable, the Yankees will be relying on Cam Schlittler, Carlos Rodon, Will Warren, Ryan Weathers and either Paul Blackburn, Ryan Yarbrough or Elmer Rodriguez to step in.
The Yankees went into play Friday with the best team ERA in the American League (3.22) and the second best in the majors behind the Atlanta Braves. Their starting rotation has a 3.14 ERA, second best in the AL behind the Tampa Bay Rays and this in the majors.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yankees' Max Fried sidelined with elbow bone bruise
