You’d think the Yankees would be excited Max Fried is taking the mound amid this tough stretch.
But the left-hander hasn’t been himself for over a month now, setting off some concern in The Bronx.
Fried has a stunningly high 5.81 ERA since the calendar turned to July.
He has given up at least three earned runs in five of his six starts over that stretch.
In the only start in which he allowed less than three earned runs, he surrendered four total runs — two unearned — in what amounted to another unimpressive outing.
Fried’s struggles stem from an uncharacteristically wild stretch.
He’s walked 4.06 batters per nine innings over the six games, which is nearly double the number he was sitting at during the first half of the season.
The Astros have been one of the best teams in baseball against left-handers this season, posting a .760 on-base plus slugging, which is the fifth-highest mark in the league.
Last season, Fried struggled in Houston, giving up three earned run on seven hits while walking four in just five innings, albeit against a very different Astros lineup.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone may be looking to extend Fried a bit more than usual Sunday with his bullpen’s recent struggles.
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The more time the southpaw spends on the mound, the more chances the ‘Stros have to get to him.
I’m expecting more crooked numbers in Fried’s earned runs column.
The play: Max Fried to give up Over 1.5 earned runs (-180, bet365)
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Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He’s particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.
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