Max Fried's gem vs. Tigers halts Yankees' losing skid

The following inning, he mowed down left fielder Riley Greene with three consecutive sweepers in a three-pitch at-bat, while shortstop Javier Baez struck out on an 82 mph changeup for the second out in the seventh inning.

Fried entered with a 2.61 ERA, and it dropped to 1.56 following Wednesday's gem.

During the offseason, he signed a landmark eight-year, $218 million contract, the largest given to a left-handed pitcher in MLB history. 

He's lived up to the contract early in his Yankees career. Through three starts, Fried has a 7:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Of the 78 batters he's faced, only 26.9 percent have reached base via a hit, walk or hit by pitch, below the league average (30.9 percent) among pitchers with at least two starts.

Fried is the one Yankees starting pitcher who has gotten off to a decent start this season. New York entered Wednesday ranked No. 26 in starting rotation ERA (5.40), according to FanGraphs data. Four of the team's five starters have an ERA above 5.00.

For a team expected to contend for a World Series title, the Yankees need more out of their starting staff. Fried has done his part. It's up to everyone else to follow the ace's lead.