There will be those who agree wholeheartedly with Max Fried’s thinking, and there will be those who disagree entirely.
That won’t change Fried’s decision, though. The New York Yankees‘ left-handed pitcher is slated to start Game 3 of the ALDS on Wednesday, and that start will come with the potential for a baby to be born to him and his girlfriend any day now.
Fried’s girlfriend, the former Division I volleyball player Reni Meyer-Whalley, is just about due.
It’s certainly not ideal timing, given that the Yankees’ season will end if they lose on Wednesday.
On the flip side, this will be the first child for Fried and his significant other.
One way or the other, Fried has to make a potentially tough call.
Max Fried Decision
Fried told reporters on Tuesday afternoon that he will be starting ALDS Game 3 and that he doesn’t expect that plan to change.
This is what he said, via MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch:
“I’ve got a really supportive family that that understands that this is my job, and it’s not going to affect what happens tomorrow.”
Ballplayers through the years have taken all kinds of different approaches to an upcoming baby’s birth, from pulling a player in the middle of a game to letting him get away in advance to be there.
The tricky part about baseball season is that games are almost every day, so if a baby is coming, it’ll likely arrive on a gameday one way or another.
MLB even has a paternity list to allow roster construction to be handled while a new father steps away from the team.
Rarely, though, does this come up in October. It’s pivotal timing, and it’s two big parts of life overlapping for Fried.
Max Fried Sets Up Jokes
Fried’s choice to not miss his start has set up a similar brand of jokes on social media.
This is what one commenter wrote:
“Another egregious error by a yankees player. Your kid being born is once-in-a-lifetime moment. The Yankees getting eliminated in the postseason in embarrassing fashion is an October tradition.”
Then there was this one:
“This man’s about to risk relationship trouble for a team that’s not gonna give him an ounce of run support.”
There’s certainly ample opportunity for Yankees haters to pile on here.
Fried could also have everything work out. There’s no guarantee his child will be born while he pitches on Wednesday night.
It’s not a call that many would like to have to make, though. Fried and the Yankees are in a tough spot, and the team can’t really make a choice of their own here. It’s gotta be up to the pitcher/father.
And right now, it looks like Fried has made up his mind.
Yankees’ Max Fried Reveals ALDS Game 3 Plans With Baby On Way