Yankees urged to trade for Giants’ 5.18 ERA veteran after Max Fried’s elbow injury originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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There’s no real answer as to how much time Max Fried will miss on the mound for the New York Yankees.
The lefty, who left Wednesday’s start after just three innings with left elbow posterior soreness, will undergo imaging today. The Yankees will have a better idea of the severity of the injury afterwards.
Fried is hopeful he can make his next start, but that seems unlikely. Regardless, New York’s rotation depth will be tested.
FanSided’s Chris Landers feels that the Yankees should explore the trade market for a mid-tier starter as soon as possible.
“If you waved a magic wand and said that Fried, [Gerrit] Cole, [Carlos] Rodon, [Cam] Schlittler, [Ryan] Weathers, and [Will] Warren would be healthy come the start of October, it would be hard not to feel excited about the Yankees’ chances,” Landers wrote. “But almost every single one of those players comes with question marks about their durability over the next four-plus months.”
Landers’ trade idea lands right-hander Tyler Mahle from the San Francisco Giants and sends prospect outfielder Jace Avina to the Giants.
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“There are several options to consider — the Angels’ Reid Detmers on the high end, Colorado’s Michael Lorenzen on the low end — but Mahle feels like a pretty clean fit. The Giants should be an option for business amid what already appears to be a lost season; a 31-year-old rental doesn’t do much for their long-term plans,” Landers added.
“And while the righty’s top-line numbers don’t jump off the page (5.18 ERA, 5.04 FIP), there’s reason to believe that the Yankees and pitching coach Matt Blake would have some decent tools to work with.”
At the very least, Mahle would give the Yankees a chance to win every fifth day. His numbers with the Giants aren’t pretty, but he posted a 2.18 ERA in 16 starts with the Texas Rangers in 2025.
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