Yankees' Max Fried Faces Challenges Ahead of Cubs Matchup

Max Fried is set to pitch for the New York Yankees against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, following his return from a bone bruise in his throwing elbow. After missing over two months, Fried made his comeback on July 22, where he allowed just one hit in five scoreless innings against the Pirates, but was limited to 57 pitches.

In his subsequent outing against the White Sox, Fried struggled, needing 32 pitches to get through the first inning and ultimately allowing three runs over three innings with 66 pitches. The Yankees have been cautious with his workload, increasing it by only nine pitches from his first game back.

As Fried prepares for Saturday's game, he is expected to be capped around 75 pitches, which poses a challenge against the Cubs, who have a strong batting average against left-handed pitchers. Chicago ranks second in MLB with a .790 OPS against southpaws, making it difficult for Fried to achieve the necessary outs to meet betting expectations.