The New York Yankees have already confirmed their postseason path with a Wild Card series at home against the Boston Red Sox. Most fans assumed that American League Cy Young favorite Cam Schlittler will start Game 1 since he’s arguably the best pitcher in all of MLB this season. However, Yankees manager Aaron Boone recently claimed he’s unsure of the order with Schlittler and Max Fried starting the first two in some order.
MLB insider Bryan Hoch revealed Boone is not lying and transcribed pitching coach Matt Blake sharing the Yankees are considering Fried over Schlittler for Game 1:
“I think it’s more just getting all the information after his last outing here and making sure he’s in a good spot to go on five days again. Max is on extended rest, and Cam would be on his third five day in a row. So just making sure he’s in a good spot before we make any rash decisions.”
Fried having extra rest is one reason given, but it still has Yankees fans on edge. The season has seen Fried hit with injuries for many months and having a shorter pitches limit in recent months. Schlittler is obviously the top pitcher for New York, but many fans trust Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon more than Fried right now.
Another Reason For Max Fried Yankees Won’t Admit
One logical reason for Fried starting Game 1 would be the Yankees wanting a fully rested bullpen to enhance their chances. Fried has not thrown more than 100 pitches since May 3rd against the Baltimore Orioles.
Boone could view Fried as a trustworthy arm he may want to pull after 4 or 5 innings to start maneuvering bullpen matchups against top Red Sox hitters like Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu. This scenario would see Schlittler saved for Game 2 with fewer bullpen arms ready to go.
The reaction to this potential plan has been overwhelmingly negative in Yankees fan spaces since it feels like overthinking too much. History sees the best pitcher starting Game 1, and Sonny Gray is the expected starter for Boston since he’s been the top starter all year. Boone is under fire to make the right decision here.
Yankees Will Likely Still Start Cam Schlittler
The logic of Fried having extra rest means little since Schlittler would be on his normal rest ahead of Game 1. Aaron Boone is expected to manage Schlittler’s pitches and remove him after a few innings of limited work.
Game 3 remains the biggest question if the Yankees and Red Sox split the first two to set up a winner takes all scenario. Cole has the track record of being a legendary pitcher throughout his long career with the Yankees, Houston Astros and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Rodon has been on fire and looks better than ever since returning from injury. Boone will likely trust Cole more due to his history in big games. The Yankees must get by the rival Red Sox to enter the real playoffs with teams like Tampa Bay, the Cleveland Guardians and Texas Rangers in their way.
Why Yankees Are Considering Max Fried For Game 1 Vs Red Sox