One away from making it into the Yankees’ no-hitter club, ace Max Fried still finds a place in the distinguished Bronx club of elite pitchers.
Sunday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field carried that unmistakable electricity that builds when baseball history appears within reach. For seven tantalizing innings, Max Fried held the Tampa Bay Rays without a hit, sending statisticians scrambling and Yankees faithful dreaming of witnessing the franchise’s 14th no-hitter.
But baseball’s cruelest truth prevailed once again – perfection remains eternally elusive.
A controversial scoring revision and an eighth-inning single conspired to deny Fried his place in Yankees lore, though his masterful performance still secured a 4-0 victory and improved his season record to 4-0 with a sterling 1.42 ERA through his first month in pinstripes.
A no-hit bid unraveled by inches and judgment
Through five innings, Fried’s command had been impeccable, mixing his arsenal with surgical precision while efficiently navigating the Rays’ lineup. The sixth inning brought the first moment of tension when Chandler Simpson bounced a slow grounder to first base.
Paul Goldschmidt couldn’t field it cleanly, and the official scorer initially charged him with an error. However, after reviewing replays, scorer Bill Mathews reversed his ruling, determining that Simpson’s speed would have produced an infield hit regardless of Goldschmidt’s handling. This retroactive decision, which Fried remained unaware of until later, technically ended the no-hit bid before the pitcher even realized it.
“I had no idea [about the scoring change],” Fried said. “I looked up and saw two hits. It is what it is. I’m just happy we got the win.”
Any lingering ambiguity vanished in the eighth when Jake Mangum connected solidly for an undisputed single, definitively closing Fried’s opportunity for baseball immortality.
Excellence without the exclamation point
Though the no-hitter eluded him, Fried’s performance showcased precisely why the Yankees invested $218 million in his left arm. Working efficiently through 102 pitches (64 strikes), he limited the Rays to just two hits and two walks while striking out two batters. His approach emphasized weak contact rather than overpowering stuff, complemented by several defensive gems, including Trent Grisham’s diving catch and subsequent double-play throw in the fifth.
“I’m just trying to be myself,” Fried said. “When I take the ball, I just want to make sure we have a really good chance to win that day. When I prep, I just want to make sure that I’m leaving everything out there.”
The exclusive no-hit fraternity remains at 13
With Fried falling short, the Yankees‘ no-hitter total remains at 13 – surprisingly modest for baseball’s winningest franchise. The Dodgers lead all MLB teams with 26 no-hitters.
The complete Yankees no-hit register includes:
- George Mogridge – April 24, 1917 vs. Boston Red Sox (2-1)
- Sam Jones – Sept. 4, 1923 vs. Philadelphia Athletics (2-0)
- Monte Pearson – Aug. 27, 1938 vs. Cleveland Indians (13-0)
- Allie Reynolds – July 12, 1951 vs. Cleveland Indians (1-0)
- Allie Reynolds – Sept. 28, 1951 vs. Boston Red Sox (8-0)
- Don Larsen – World Series, Oct. 8, 1956 vs. Brooklyn Dodgers (2-0) – Perfect Game
- Dave Righetti – July 4, 1983 vs. Boston Red Sox (4-0)
- Jim Abbott – Sept. 4, 1993 vs. Cleveland Indians (4-0)
- Dwight Gooden – May 14, 1996 vs. Seattle Mariners (2-0)
- David Wells – May 17, 1998 vs. Minnesota Twins (4-0) – Perfect Game
- David Cone – July 18, 1999 vs. Montreal Expos (6-0) – Perfect Game
- Corey Kluber – May 19, 2021 vs. Texas Rangers (2-0)
- Domingo Germán – June 28, 2023 vs. Oakland Athletics (11-0) – Perfect Game
Had Fried completed the feat, he would have become just the third Yankee this century to record a no-hitter, joining Kluber and Germán in modern franchise history.
Near-misses and notable almost-history
The Yankees’ relationship with no-hitters features both success and heartbreak. Only two have occurred in the past quarter-century, though remarkably, three of their 13 no-hitters were perfect games – an outsized proportion of baseball’s rarest achievement.
Fried now joins pitchers like CC Sabathia and Hiroki Kuroda who carried no-hitters into the late innings wearing pinstripes only to see their efforts fall tantalizingly short.
Despite missing the milestone, Fried’s early-season excellence validates the organization’s substantial investment. Initially signed to complement Gerrit Cole at the rotation’s apex, Fried has instead emerged as the staff’s anchor with Cole sidelined indefinitely.
“He’s incredible,” Aaron Judge said. “Everything that people have said about him from afar, he’s the real deal. You see it up close, especially to lose a guy like Gerrit Cole, who you can’t replace, and then you sub in Max Fried to go and be that ace for us. It’s been fun to watch.”
Forward momentum
With this victory, the Yankees improved to 14-8, positioning them among the American League’s elite as April nears its conclusion. Fried’s emergence as a true ace has stabilized the rotation despite Cole’s absence, elevating the team’s championship aspirations regardless of Sunday’s missed milestone.
Boone remarked that Fried’s performance was a testament to his greatness, even though it felt like a grind at times. He pointed out that Fried recorded only two strikeouts but still pitched exceptionally well by commanding his fastball, mixing his sinker and four-seamer, and effectively changing speeds and locations.
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