Blister history is cause for Yankees concern about Max Fried originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Max Fried has looked like an ace all season. Saturday in the Bronx, he didn’t look right from the first pitch. When he walked off the mound after three innings, it was clear there was a problem. The YES Network showed a zoomed-in picture of Fried’s hand, which seemed to have a blister on it.

The Yankees confirmed it was a blister on his left index finger.

Fried faced 13 batters. Nine of them reached. He had no command, no feel, and kept looking at his hands between pitches.

According to the broadcast, Fried has had four separate stints on the injured list because of blister issues in his career. If this is another flare-up, it’s not just frustrating—it’s familiar.

The left-hander came into the game with an 11–2 record and a 2.27 ERA. He’d been one of the Yankees’ most reliable pitchers, giving them length, control, and a chance to win nearly every time out. But this one went sideways quickly. It wasn’t just the hits or the walks—it was the body language. He looked uncomfortable. He looked like a pitcher trying to bluff his way through a bad hand.

They’ve caught a break. With the All-Star Break beginning on Sunday, Fried likely won’t pitch again until at least Friday. If the Yankees want, they could push him back to the end of the rotation to give him more time to recover.

Blisters linger, and Fried has a history with them. With the Yankees’ rotation already stretched thin by injury. Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt have been shut down with elbow surgeries. Luis Gil is making his first rehab start on Sunday, so he’s likely a few weeks away. Ryan Yarbrough is on the injured list with an oblique issue.

Fried’s been steady all year. Sunday wasn’t that. It was sudden, it was strange, and it was a reminder that even the most reliable arms come with risk.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared.