Yankees only can hope Max Fried, Jonathan Loaisiga don’t become long-term concerns

Maybe this was just the kind of ho-hum 5-2 loss that merges seamlessly into a 162-game season.

After all, the Yankees offense wasn’t going to keep scoring five or more runs a game, as they had done the previous 10 before Saturday, the most within one season in the majors since the 2023 Braves and the longest by a Yankee team since July 2012.

And it wasn’t like the Yankees were going to end the regular season on a 73-game winning streak, so a five-gamer ended against the Cubs as All-Star lefty Matt Boyd efficiently subdued the Yankees for eight shutout innings.

You know there was a “but” coming and here it is: That this was just one of those ho-hum games in a long season, but what if it wasn’t? Max Fried developed a blister and Jonathan Loáisiga was blistered again. Within a month when Brian Cashman has multiple other pitching areas to address externally, the Yankees sure need these internal matters solved.