Yankees place Max Fried on injured list after elbow bone bruise; Elmer Rodriguez called up

The New York Yankees have placed left-arm pitcher Max Fried on the 15-day injured list after scans confirmed a bone bruise in his left elbow. The move is retroactive to Thursday.

Fried picked up the injury after an MRI and CT scan, following concerns raised from his recent performances. The 32-year-old left-hander had a strong start to the 2026 season but saw a dip in form during May. In his last three starts, he gave up 11 earned runs and 17 hits over 14 1-3 innings. His most recent outing in Baltimore ended early after just three innings.

Despite the setback, Fried’s overall season numbers remain solid at 4-3 with a 3.21 ERA. Earlier in the year, he dominated through April with a 4-1 record and 2.09 ERA in seven starts.

Fried joined the Yankees ahead of the 2025 season on an eight-year, $218 million deal after spending eight seasons with the Atlanta Braves. He earned his third All-Star selection last year, finishing with a 19-5 record and 2.86 ERA.

Across his MLB career, Fried now holds a 96-44 record with a 3.04 ERA in 210 appearances.

To fill his spot, the Yankees have recalled 22-year-old pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez from Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes-Barre. Rodriguez made his MLB debut earlier this season on April 29 but was later optioned back after a short stint. He has struggled in limited major league action, posting a 5.19 ERA in two starts, though he has shown better form in Triple-A with a 1.38 ERA in five outings.