The New York Yankees are in a full-on tailspin. Five straight losses. A sweep at the hands of the Boston Red Sox that brought back ugly memories of 1914. It’s the kind of stretch where you start looking for any sign of light, no matter how faint.
Well, here’s something. Two guys who’ve been watching from the dugout for weeks are about to face each other in a controlled setting. And for a team that just went 0-6 on a road trip nobody wants to remember, that counts as progress.
Fried is nearing a return
Max Fried has been on the injured list since May 14 with a hamstring issue. The left-hander last pitched on May 13 against Baltimore, going three innings and giving up five hits and three runs. Not his best outing, but the guy has a 3.21 ERA and 1.01 WHIP over 10 starts this season. The Yankees need that version of him back.
According to manager Aaron Boone, Fried is scheduled to throw live batting practice on June 30. He’ll throw about 30 pitches. That’s a standard step before a rehab assignment, so if everything goes well, he might be back in the rotation before the All-Star break.
Stanton is swinging again
Giancarlo Stanton has been on the IL since April 25 with a hamstring strain of his own. Before the injury, he was hitting .256 with three homers and 14 RBIs. But that number is a little misleading. In April, Stanton was slashing just .186/.250/.000 with two homers and 10 RBIs. He was struggling. The power wasn’t there, and the strikeouts were piling up.
Still, the Yankees need his bat. Or at least they need the threat of his bat. Stanton is set to take swings in that same live BP session against Fried. Boone said he’s moving with more intensity now and hitting against velocity again. That’s encouraging for a guy whose entire game is built on raw power.
It’s not a guarantee either guy will be ready soon. But for a team that just got swept by its biggest rival and has the Tigers coming to town Tuesday night, any good news is welcome.
The Yankees sit at 48-36, second place in the AL East. That’s not a bad record on paper. But the slide has been ugly, and the margin for error is shrinking. Getting Fried back in the rotation and Stanton back in the middle of the lineup would be a big deal. They just have to get through this stretch without digging a hole too deep to climb out of.
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