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Welp, New York Yankees left-handed pitcher Max Fried was never going to be untouchable for the entire season.
Fried, who signed an eight-year, $218 million deal with the Yankees in free agency this past offseason, was arguably the league's best starter through his first 11 starts with a 1.29 ERA while holding the club record for the most consecutive outings without allowing more than two runs.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a different beast, however, and the two teams, whether they admit it or not, had a little extra juice for their rematch of the 2024 World Series.
Fried was plenty familiar with the Dodgers after consistently doing battle with them atop the National League totem pole as a member of the Atlanta Braves, but what transpired on Friday night was likely still a shock to his system.
After allowing a pair of runs over the first two innings, highlighted by a Shohei Ohtani leadoff homer in the first, Fried settled in and held Los Angeles scoreless for the next three frames.
When the 31-year-old graced the mound in the bottom of the sixth, New York was holding onto a 5-2 lead. Things quickly unravelled for Fried, though, as Ohtani once again went deep to kick off the inning before Teoscar Hernández and Will Smith hit back-to-back singles.
Freddie Freeman, reigning MVP of the Fall Classic and Fried's longtime Braves teammate, would then knock his old friend out of the game with an RBI double that cut the Yankees' advantage to 5-4.
Right-handed reliever Jonathan Loáisiga closed the book on Fried by allowing Smith to come around and score on an Andy Pages single, tying things up at 5-5.
The Dodgers tacked on another run in the inning before adding two more in the eighth en route to an 8-5 victory in front of their home crowd.
Fried's ERA rose to 1.92 after his uneven night, which he believes was a result of poor execution and command.
"Mostly, it was just execution, leaving balls in the middle of the plate,” he said, via MLB.com's Bryan Hoch. “I wasn’t going to the locations I wanted to, and when you’re facing a good team with good hitters, they’re going to make you pay for it.”
Fried hadn't allowed five runs or more to score against him in the regular season since an August 4, 2024 outing against the Miami Marlins, and his three stikeouts were his lowest in a start since facing the Toronto Blue Jays on April 27 this season.
He'll certainly bounce back, but Fried will likely want to wash his hands clean of his performance on Friday night.
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TODAY'S BEST
Blue Jays aren't getting enough from their $500M man
Toronto Blue Jays fans don't have much to complain about. Despite losing 5-4 on Tuesday to the New York Yankees, their team leads the AL East by three games heading into play Wednesday against the Yankees. But not everything is perfect north of the U.S. border. Keegan Matheson, Blue Jays reporter for MLB.com, echoed that sentiment during Tuesday night's loss to New York in a post shared on X. "The #BlueJays need more from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and I don't understand why that's only being whispered instead of said out loud," Matheson wrote. Matheson has been beating this drum recently, and he's spot-on. Guerrero Jr., who signed a 14-year, $500M extension in April, hasn't produced superstar numbers. Through 99 games, Vladdy has a .283 average, 13 HRs and 48 RBI. Per ESPN, the 26-year-old is on pace for 21 HRs and 77 RBI, which would by far his lowest full-season totals in those categories since his rookie season in 2019. Although they have one of MLB's best records, the Blue Jays (59-42) lack pop in the lineup. Toronto ranks 20th in the majors in home runs with 105. If Vladdy finds his power stroke and turn it on in the final months of the regular season, the Blue Jays will go from being a playoff contender to a threat to win the World Series. If he doesn't, the Blue Jays aren't getting their money's worth.
Maple Leafs continue to play moneyball: Three big names in play
With Mitch Marner’s move to the Vegas Golden Knights closing a major chapter in Toronto, GM Brad Treliving made a series of moves to replace his production. He might not be done. Three may be even bolder moves on the horizon. We’ve heard the names Calle Jarnkrok and David Kampf before. However, the Maple Leafs are actively fielding and exploring trade scenarios as they look to reshape their roster — and according to Nick Kypreos, a handful of intriguing names are emerging in trade chatter: Morgan Rielly, Brandon Carlo, and former Leafs fan-favorite Nazem Kadri. The most surprising name still generating buzz is Rielly. Despite being a longtime cornerstone on Toronto’s blue line, his $7.5 million cap hit and no-move clause complicate matters. Yet with the team needing help up front, and possible interest in offensive defensemen like Pittsburgh’s Erik Karlsson, Rielly could become part of a larger plan if he’s open to waiving. Also surprising is the talk surrounding Carlo. A recent addition to the Leafs’ defense corps, he is already being talked about behind the scenes as a potential trade piece. If he were made available, there is interest around the league, as the 6-foot-6 shutdown defender has a team-friendly cap hit and strong penalty-killing ability. Trading Carlo could get the Leafs a top-six forward. Finally, reports on the availability of Kadri remain conflicting. Some say he’s not available, while others suggest that the Calgary Flames would consider the idea. The former Maple Leaf would be a welcome addition back to Toronto, but there isn’t much of a reason for the Flames to trade him unless the return is outstanding. Kadri reportedly would consider waiving his no-move clause for a reunion. That said, getting a deal done won’t be easy, especially with Montreal also rumored to be on his short list. Whether any of these deals come to pass or are just pure speculation, one thing’s sure: the Maple Leafs aren’t standing still. Treliving is trying to get his roster to score more goals. He seems willing to entertain any idea and play Moneyball with the roster if it will help.
Green Bay Packers: TE Tucker Kraft Tries New Position on Day 1 of Camp – Just for Fun or Smidge of Serious?
The Green Bay Packers started training camp Wednesday, and on at least one rep, the kickoff went to an unexpected returner: tight end Tucker Kraft. Whether or not they plan to seriously evaluate him as an option, it’s a development that caught the eye of reporter Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. Green Bay Packers shake it up to kick off camp with Kraft, Melton updates Earlier this afternoon, Scheidman shared his observation to the bewilderment of fans on social media. Until further notice, it seems safest to assume that the guys are just having fun. Kraft lacks a kick returner’s build and sprint speed, but at 6-foot-5 and 259 pounds, he’s been dubbed a “human monster truck” for his ability to absorb contact and break tackles after the catch. Most likely, that’s not a skilll that would translate from Kraft’s capacity as a passcatcher to a receiver of kicks. There’s a reason teams rarely plug tight ends in that role. One notable exception is New Orleans’ do-everything weapon Taysom Hill, who also plays quarterback and frequently runs the ball. He’s also returned 20 kickoffs in his career, but only six since his rookie year in 2018. Last season, the Packers relied on cornerback Keisean Nixon for most kickoff opportunities. Wide receiver Jayden Reed was the main man on punts, returning 14 times for 110 yards. Nixon amassed 576 yards between both return types. Schneidman’s Kraft news comes alongside Bo Melton’s more surprising, now-official position switch from receiver to cornerback. Fans aren’t sure what to think. Most aren’t taking Kraft’s rumble too seriously. At South Dakota State, Kraft returned two kickoffs for 34 yards. He has not run back an NFL kick. The former third-round pick enjoyed a highly successful second season: 50 catches, 707 yards, and seven touchdowns. Seeing Kraft tuck it and truck should be a common sight in 2025, just not, most likely, as a returner.
Steelers Already Facing Big Injury Concerns As Key Offensive Piece Starts Camp On The Sidelines
The Pittsburgh Steelers dealt with a litany of injury problems throughout the 2024 season. The issues began during training camp before the regular season even kicked off, and that is happening again for the Steelers. In 2024, fans saw Roman Wilson and Russell Wilson go down before playing in any preseason games, and now the fan base will have to pay attention to training camp as veteran starting left guard Isaac Seumalo will be on the sidelines. Head Coach Mike Tomlin addressed the media Wednesday afternoon, which was the day that players reported to Latrobe, PA for camp. He told reporters that the starting left guard will be beginning training camp on the Non Football Injury List due to a soft tissue injury that he is currently battling. The significance of the injury to Seumalo is unclear, but going to the NFI list is a lot more promising than landing on Injured Reserve at this stage of the season. The way the NFI list works is that Seumalo still counts against the roster, and he can be elevated at any point. If the injury worsens, or the guard shows no sign of getting better, he can be moved to IR so Pittsburgh can open up a roster spot. The Steelers’ offensive line is being counted on to take a major step forward in the 2025 season, and the loss of Seumalo's play and veteran leadership to begin training camp is not ideal. While he is working on bouncing back from his injury, Tomlin stated that third-year player Spencer Anderson will be stepping in at left guard. Anderson has been a versatile depth player on the offensive line for Pittsburgh over the last two seasons, and while he isn't the best replacement, things could be worse for the Steelers. Soft-tissue injuries vary in terms of how long it takes players to bounce back, so hopefully this injury doesn't keep Seumalo out for too long. Fans shouldn't expect to see him in preseason games even once he does return, due to his status as a valuable veteran and his experience in the league as a whole. There is no reason for concern quite yet, as Seumalo can be elevated at any point, but this is a situation worth paying attention to.
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