Max Fried Reflects on Challenging ALDS Start Against Blue Jays, Remains Confident Despite Loss

New York Yankees ace Max Fried experienced a stark contrast in his postseason starts, following 6.1 scoreless innings against the Red Sox in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series with a difficult outing in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Blue Jays. In the ALDS game, Fried allowed seven earned runs in just 3.0+ innings, a performance he acknowledged put the Yankees in a tough spot and on the verge of elimination. Fried credited the Blue Jays for their effective strategy, stating, "They obviously had a really good approach. They were on a lot of my pitches and credit to them. I didn’t get it done and it’s frustrating." Despite the team's 0-2 deficit, Fried expressed strong belief in the Yankees' ability to win three consecutive games, emphasizing, "We’re a good team. Two games doesn’t mean anything. We still have the ability to go out there and win three in a row and win the series so we still gotta believe." The team will still need to rely on him if the series extends to a Game 5, and Fried, who has been New York's ace all season, affirmed he would be ready.