Yankees ace Max Fried takes encouraging step in injury recovery

The New York Yankees received an encouraging sign Tuesday in Max Fried’s recovery from a left elbow bone bruise, as the southpaw returned to live batting practice at Yankee Stadium before the second game of the club’s three-game set against the Detroit Tigers.

It marked a meaningful step for Fried, who has not pitched since being forced to exit his May 13 start in Baltimore after three innings because of posterior soreness in his left elbow. Subsequent imaging revealed no major structural damage, but the injury was diagnosed as a bone bruise, sidelining the 32-year-old without an immediate timetable for return. The Yankees placed him on the 15-day injured list and began a careful progression based on his symptoms, imaging results and how his arm responded to each increase in intensity.

As of Tuesday, the three-time MLB All-Star had been cleared for the next stage of his throwing progression and was scheduled to throw two simulated innings, roughly 30 pitches, during a live batting practice session. The step allowed Fried to continue building toward a potential return around the mid-July All-Star break.

Video emerges of Max Fried throwing live BP

The New York Post Sports posted a video of the session on X, formerly Twitter, showing Fried throwing at Yankee Stadium as he continues to work his way back. The clip offered a useful snapshot of his progress, even if the Yankees still have more to evaluate before setting a firm return date.