BALTIMORE -- Max Fried's performance was shaky again -- and now the New York Yankees have to worry about his elbow.
Fried was pulled from Wednesday's 7-0 loss at Baltimore after only three innings because of elbow soreness. The three-time All-Star is expected to get scanned and be examined Thursday by team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad in New York.
"Just a little uncomfortable, tight, especially in between innings," Fried said. "It's hard for me to kind of warm up, loosen up. The first hitter of the inning would be like 88, 90, 91 (mph). And by the end -- fourth, fifth hitter, 20 pitches in -- I'm able to kind of get things loosened up."
Fried headed straight up the tunnel after Baltimore scored twice in the third inning, and the Yankees had Paul Blackburn warming in the bullpen while batting in the fourth. Fried allowed three runs and five hits, throwing just 34 of 61 pitches for strikes and going to three balls on five of 13 batters.
"Definitely wasn't helping the team," the 32-year-old left-hander said. "Could have kept pitching, but at that point it was just like, 'Hey, let's make sure that we can kind of calm this thing down and try to get ahead of it.'"
In his previous start at Milwaukee, Fried permitted five runs in six innings.
"We'll do all the testing and whatnot tomorrow," manager Aaron Boone said. "He doesn't seem too concerned about it, but we'll see."
Fried has repeatedly dealt with blister issues on his left finger, making four trips to the injured list from 2018-23 while with Atlanta and taking an extended layoff around the All-Star break last year.
He was an All-Star in 2025, his first season with the Yankees. The 32-year-old has a 3.21 ERA in 10 starts this season.
"I guess you never know, but I'm definitely planning on this thing being a sooner rather than later," Fried said. "Obviously, we'll find out tomorrow where everything is. ... If I can, I would love to be able to make my next start."
New York appears to have decent starting depth.
Carlos Rodon rejoined the Yankees' rotation last weekend after recovering from surgery last October to remove loose bodies in his left elbow and shave a bone spur.
Gerrit Cole is nearing a return from elbow ligament replacement surgery in March 2025. Cole has made five minor league rehab starts, and Boone said the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner will make two or three more. Cole is scheduled to start Saturday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
New York's rotation also includes Cam Schlittler, Will Warren and Ryan Weathers.
Luis Gil, the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year, has been in the minors for much of the season and was placed on the injured list last Friday because of right shoulder inflammation.