Max Fried reflected on his first start back from the injured list after the Yankees defeated the Red Sox 9-2 in Game 3.
Max Fried was happy to be back on the mound, but more importantly, the New York Yankees left Saturday’s game with exactly what they wanted from his return. Fried made his first start since returning from the injured list in Game 3 of the series on Saturday.
The Yankees had opened the series with a 1-0 win before Boston responded with a 6-0 victory earlier Saturday. New York then bounced back in the nightcap, with Fried making his return to the mound.
The left-hander threw 63 pitches over 3⅔ innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out four. While Fried acknowledged that he was sharper earlier in the outing, he was pleased to get back into competitive action and finish the game feeling healthy.
“Definitely a lot sharper earlier than late, but nice to get back out there,” Fried told reporters after the game. “Competitive juices going, and at the end of the day, just us being able to win the game was really big. So I’m just happy that we were able to do that.”
Max Fried on his 63-pitch outing vs Boston in his first start off the injured list. #YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/YdbVn4QsFo
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) August 30, 2026
Fried said he felt strong before his latest stint on the injured list, explaining that one pitch had irritated his elbow. After getting through his return without another issue, the Yankees starter was encouraged by how he felt.
“I was feeling really strong going before this IL stint,” Fried said. “And I was feeling good in the game. It just kind of was just like one little pitch that irritated it.”
The Yankees also needed the victory after being shut out by Boston earlier in the day. New York’s offense responded in a big way in Game 3, scoring nine runs to give Fried plenty of support in his return.
The 32-year-old also emphasized how important it was for the Yankees to answer after the Game 2 loss and put themselves in position to win the series. “Anytime you have a doubleheader, you want to make sure to try to win both,” he said. “But coming out there and not coming off the win, you’re a little bit more focused. And you want to make sure that you don’t drop too straight.”
“Now we’re up 2-1 going into tomorrow,” Fried added. “And I’m excited to sit and watch and hopefully come out with a series win.”
Max Fried was happy to be back on the mound, but more importantly, the New York Yankees left Saturday’s game with exactly what they wanted from his return. Fried made his first start since returning from the injured list in Game 3 of the series on Saturday. The Yankees had opened the series with a 1-0 win before Boston responded with a 6-0 victory earlier Saturday.