Aug 10, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried (54) pitches in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Yankees' Max Fried Gets Blunt About Astros Game

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Delilah Bourque | Last updated Aug 11, 2025 11:00 AM ET

During the New York Yankees' latest home game against the Houston Astros — which ended with an embarrassing 7-1 loss — Yankees manager Aaron Boone was ejected for the fifth time this season: but he wasn't the only one with a problem. Starting pitcher Max Fried was also seen arguing with umpires about some questionable calls made by home plate umpire Derek Thomas.

However, despite his clear reservations on the field, after the game Fried blamed the loss on his own inability to finish out a rough fifth inning that extended the Astros' two-run lead to four.

“It definitely would’ve been nice,” Fried said of Boone's challenging one particular call that would have ended the inning, “but no one’s gonna look back and really care, right? You just gotta be able to make the pitch and get out of it anyway.”

In addition to Fried's miserable fifth inning, the Yankees offense was just not able to get it done against Houston, not recording a single hit until Ben Rice's single in the sixth. New York got on the board in the seventh when third baseman Ryan McMahon hit a sac fly, allowing fellow infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. to score the Pinstripes' lone run of the game.

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Fried, who was pulled after five innings and 94 pitches, continued to express his frustration with his performance after the game.

“Just wanted to be able to come out of that [jam], especially keeping it in a tight game and keeping it within two,” Fried said (h/t Yahoo Spots). “Pushing it to four, it’s on me, and it’s frustrating.”

The nine-year MLB veteran was one of the Yankees' biggest offseason additions, coming to New York after an eight-year career with the Atlanta Braves. He was a runaway success in the first half of the season, but has been struggling since the All-Star break, throwing a 6.00 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in his last seven games. With the clock running out on the 2025 regular season, the Yankees need Fried and the rest of the starting rotation to snap back into shape if they're to have any hopes of returning to the playoffs.

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