Yankees ace leaves legend and fans buzzing with jaw-dropping pitch
Max Fried's curveball didn't just make Juan Soto freeze on Sunday night, it turned CC Sabathia into a fanboy.
In the sixth inning of the Subway Series finale, Fried dropped a curveball that seemed to fall off the table just as it crossed the plate. Soto stood there helpless, bat on his shoulder, as strike three snapped into the zone. Sabathia immediately posted the clip to his Instagram stories, adding the perfect commentary: 'Dat's Nasty.'
@cc_Sabathia via Instagram
That one pitch pretty much sums up Fried's season so far: cool, composed, devastating when it counts and downright nasty.
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In his first big test as a Yankee, under the bright lights of Sunday Night Baseball, Fried didn't just handle the moment; he owned it. He threw six innings of two-run, three-hit ball against the Mets and, quietly, made history. With that outing, Fried became the first pitcher in Yankees history to allow two earned runs or fewer in each of his first 10 starts of a season (excluding openers).
Yes, that's something Whitey Ford, Ron Guidry, Andy Pettitte, and even Sabathia never did.
Signed to a record $218 million deal after the Yankees lost Juan Soto to the Mets, Fried has been the centerpiece of what Yankees fans are calling 'The Pivot.' Through 62.2 innings, he's put up a 2.15 ERA, a 1.29 FIP, and a ridiculous 0.43 HR/9 rate.
He's not overpowering, but he's dominating. Just ask Soto.
New York Yankees starter Max Fried makes a toss to first base in Sunday night's win over the Mets at Yankee Stadium.© Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Opponents are hitting just .237 against him, and he's turned weak contact and groundballs into his signature. That curveball? It's been the finishing move all year, and it's exactly why Fried was named American League Pitcher of the Month for April.
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With Gerrit Cole out for the season, Fried hasn't just filled the ace role—he's flat-out owned it.
Related: Yankees Roster Shuffle Sends Veteran Pitcher to Open Market
Related: Yankees Quietly Testing Top Prospect at New Defensive Positions
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