Scouting Report
Updated May 20, 2026
Max Fried, 32-year-old Yankees ace on an 8-year, $218M contract, exited his start against Baltimore on May 13, 2026 after just 3 innings and 61 pitches due to left elbow posterior soreness. MRI and CT scans revealed a bone bruise. The ulnar collateral ligament is intact and no surgery is required, but Fried was placed on the 15-day IL. He will undergo additional testing in a few weeks to determine return timeline. This is his second season with the Yankees, and he leads MLB with 61.2 innings pitched. Prior to the injury, he was dealing with control issues (elevated walk rate of 7.9% vs 6.4% last season) and had struggled in his 10th start, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs, and 1 walk through 3 innings.
Strengths
- + Ulnar collateral ligament is intact - no Tommy John surgery required
- + Posterior elbow soreness is less serious than medial elbow distress
- + Team physician and specialist review indicates long-term outlook is positive
- + Fried expressed confidence that injury is not serious and no surgery needed
- + Strong 2.91 ERA and 4-2 record through first 9 starts before injury
- + 48 strikeouts in 58.2 innings shows continued elite strikeout ability
Injury Status: IL-15
About
Max McDowell is a catcher for the Chicago Cubs.
Player Overview
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Chicago Cubs