The New York Yankees expect left-hander Max Fried to return to the major league rotation next week after one more rehab start, manager Aaron Boone revealed before Tuesday's game.
Boone said Fried is scheduled to make his second rehab appearance Wednesday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he is expected to throw around 60 pitches. If everything goes as planned, the Yankees anticipate activating him during next week's road series against the Chicago White Sox.
Fried has been sidelined since May 14 with a bone bruise in his left elbow. The injury landed him on the 15-day injured list after discomfort affected several of his starts earlier this season.
In his first rehab outing with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last week, Fried allowed two runs on five hits over three innings. He struck out three without issuing a walk while throwing 52 pitches, putting him on track for the next step in his recovery.
Before the injury, Fried had been one of the Yankees' most dependable starters. Across 10 starts, the left-hander went 4-3 with a 3.21 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP and 50 strikeouts in 61.2 innings while holding opponents to a .199 batting average.
His return would provide a significant boost to a rotation that has dealt with multiple injuries while the Yankees remain in the thick of the American League East race.
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New York entered Tuesday with a 56-44 record, trailing the first-place Tampa Bay Rays by 1.5 games after defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-5 on Monday. The Yankees have stayed in contention despite injuries to several key players.
Getting Fried back next week would strengthen the rotation ahead of the trade deadline and give New York another frontline arm for its push toward October.
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