The New York Yankees' rotation is getting a big boost, as left-hander Max Fried will come off the injured list and start the nightcap of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Fried has been sidelined since mid-May with a bone bruise in his left elbow.
The Yankees' announcement comes as a bit of a surprise. Fried only started a rehab assignment this past Friday, and manager Aaron Boone told Talkin' Yanks earlier Tuesday that the team planned for him to make one more start in the minors before rejoining the rotation.
Fried was slated to throw 60 pitches in that now-abandoned rehab outing. It's unclear if he'll be on a pitch count against the Pirates.
The 32-year-old made one rehab start with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this past Friday, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out three in three innings of work.
Fried's return lengthens a Yankees rotation that already includes former Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole and this year's AL Cy Young front-runner Cam Schlittler. The staff is still without Carlos Rodón, who's been sidelined for the last month with left elbow inflammation. New York is also missing reigning AL MVP and team captain Aaron Judge on the offensive side.
Fried, who's in the second season of an eight-year, $218-million contract with the Yankees, has a 3.21 ERA, 2.71 FIP, and 1.01 WHIP with 50 strikeouts in 10 starts this year. He finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting last season.
The Yankees entered Tuesday sitting 1.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.
