Max Fried’s move to first base is so good that when Aaron Judge was still facing the pitcher who played for the Atlanta Braves, every time he got to first base he didn’t move until the ball crossed the plate.
Wearing the Yankees uniform, Fried continues to unleash his lethal pickoff move.
The left-hander caught a pair of runners at first base in a span of three innings in Saturday’s game, allowing him to settle into another solid outing in the Yankees’ 13-1 thrashing of the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
“Just for the times I’ve faced him and been at first base, I don’t think I’ve moved,” Judge said. “I think I’ve just stared at him and waited to see the ball in the catcher’s glove before taking the lead. It’s impressive.”
Fried’s spectacular pickoff pays off in Denver
On a day when he allowed just one run in 7 1/3 innings, Fried allowed a pair of singles in the first three innings.
But both runners were quickly eliminated at first base in pickoffs, eliminating any momentum for the Rockies.
Fried is the MLB leader with five pickoffs this season.
“I take pride in being able to control the game when there are runners on base,” Fried said. “Being able to keep them from taking second base is critical, especially not to put them in scoring position. I enjoy it.”
Fried almost got a third out on Saturday, but his throw went past Paul Goldschmidt at first base and led to the only run the Rockies scored against him in the game.
“It’s the best play I’ve ever seen,” Goldschmidt said. “I definitely remember being at first base as an opposing runner and trying to stay as close to the base as possible. Luckily, I see it a lot more, so I get used to it a little bit more.”
Sometimes pitchers hold runners and then don’t execute the right pitch to the batter, but Fried does an excellent job of paying full attention to the runner on base and executing his pitches.
Yankees injuries
Jake Cousins, who was already on the injured list with a forearm strain before being sidelined recently with a pectoral problem after his last live batting practice, threw a bullpen session of more than 30 pitches on Friday.
“Everything went well, apparently,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Hopefully now he’s close to fulfilling that rehab assignment.”
Marcus Stroman (knee inflammation) threw another bullpen session Saturday at Coors Field, but it remains to be seen when he will move on to facing hitters.
The last time he did so was on May 9, when he was still feeling discomfort in his knee.
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