The Yankees’ five-game winning streak came to a crashing end Saturday — and it came with concern about ace Max Fried.
While the lineup was being completely shut down by the Cubs’ Matthew Boyd in a 5-2 loss at the Stadium, Fried was forced from the game after three subpar innings with what the Yankees announced was a blister on his left index finger.
Fried, named an All-Star but replaced on the roster by teammate Carlos Rodón Friday due to what Aaron Boone called a multitude of factors, gave up four runs — three earned — and needed 73 pitches to get through three innings.
And for as ineffective as Fried was, Boyd was especially sharp.
The Cubs’ lefty was dominant for eight scoreless innings against a Yankee lineup that was second in the majors, having scored 88 runs in their previous 12 games.
Jason Szenes / New York Post
Boyd was replaced by Brad Keller, who gave up a two-run homer to Aaron Judge with one out in the bottom of the ninth to add some drama.
After drilling Giancarlo Stanton with a pitch, Keller was pulled for Daniel Palencia, who got the last two outs.
As for Fried, he had his worst start since signing with the Yankees on a seven-year, $218 million deal in the offseason.
The Yankees may catch a break with the All-Star break coming up, but Fried has spent time on the IL due to blisters on his pitching hand in four different seasons with Atlanta prior to this one, the most recent being in 2023.
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With the Yankees’ rotation already dealing with the season-long losses of Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt due to Tommy John surgeries, as well as Luis Gil being out since the spring with a lat strain and Ryan Yarbrough — an injury replacement — on the IL with an oblique strain, an extended absence for Fried would be particularly damaging.
On Saturday, Fried struggled with his command from the outset, walking three batters and needing 73 pitches to retire just nine batters