Max Fried named Yankees’ Opening Day starter

TAMPA — Monday was a promising day for the Yankees rotation. Max Fried earned an honor and Carlos Rodón took a step. 

Fried will be the Opening Day starter, manager Aaron Boone said, for the first time in his brief Yankees tenure and fourth time in his career. Fried became the club’s ace last season once Gerrit Cole went down, but Cole’s surgery occurred mid-camp and at a point in which Fried was not lined up for the opener. That 2025 nod eventually went to Rodón. 

Fried put together an All-Star season in his first campaign in The Bronx and is the leader of the still-Cole-less group, so Boone’s acknowledgment that Fried would be on the mound March 25 in San Francisco arrived with no frills. 

Fried was on the mound Monday and looking sharper than his first spring start. After struggling with his control last week against Team Panama, when he walked three in three-plus innings, Fried allowed one run on two hits and no walks in four innings in the 5-3 loss to the Pirates. 

“Way better, more consistent,” Fried said from Steinbrenner Field, where he built up to 67 pitches. “Was able to execute what I wanted to do.” 

Max Fried was named the Yankees’ Opening Day starter. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The afternoon was encouraging for the Yankees rotation, too, Rodón facing hitters for the first time since October elbow surgery. 

Could he make his season debut next month? 

“I don’t know what’s in play,” Rodón said. 

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself,” Boone said, “but he’s on a pretty good time[line].” 

Perhaps late April, perhaps May, but regardless there is optimism concerning Rodón, who checked off a significant box.

The lefty threw 20 pitches to minor leaguers and mixed in all of his pitches, watching his top velocity escalate from 92 mph in his bullpen sessions to 94 mph while facing actual humans. 

“I wasn’t trying to throw hard, and it came out at an easy, smooth pace,” said Rodón, who Boone said was “pretty sharp” for his first live batting practice. 

There will be several more live batting practice sessions, and Boone hoped that Rodón would appear in a Grapefruit League game before the regular season begins.

Rodón himself thought he would not appear in a game before his teammates leave for Arizona on March 23. He was not sure about a firm timetable but was happy with how his arm is feeling after the procedure to shave a bone spur and remove loose bodies. 

“Kind of like riding a bike,” Rodón said. “… Working on a few things. Don’t put too much stock into it, it’s just the first one. But it was good, good enough. Looking forward to going again.”