During the 2025 All-Star Game at Truist Park, top pitchers shared their thoughts on which pitches they would like to add to their repertoire. New York Yankees ace Max Fried hinted at enhancing his pitching arsenal by incorporating elements inspired by some of the league’s fastest fastball throwers.
Pitchers Reveal Desired Additions to Their Arsenal at the All-Star Event
In a video released by MLB Network, pitchers including Seattle Mariners’ Bryan Woo, Boston Red Sox’s Garrett Crochet, and Kansas City Royals’ Kris Bubic expressed interest in adopting Tarik Skubal’s acclaimed changeup, following his recent AL Cy Young Award win. Meanwhile, several pitchers admired Jacob deGrom’s fastball for its velocity and movement.
Max Fried, however, focused on fastballs when discussing his potential upgrade, praising the abundance of talented hard-throwers across the league.
“We got a lot of really talented guys, of course in fastballs, so probably one of those,”
Fried said.
MLB Network highlighted Pittsburgh Pirates’ Paul Skenes as an example of an elite fastball pitcher. Skenes, the reigning National League Rookie of the Year, regularly throws fastballs averaging 98 mph, ranking second among starters behind Hunter Greene’s 99 mph. Notably, Skenes shocked the league during his debut at PNC Park by delivering six innings with multiple pitches reaching 101 mph or more.
Update on Max Fried’s Recovery and Return Timeline
After an impressive start with the Yankees this season, Max Fried earned an All-Star selection that would have brought him back to Atlanta, his former team’s home. However, to manage his workload and in light of a recent blister injury sustained during his July 12 outing against the Chicago Cubs, Yankees manager Aaron Boone decided to replace Fried on the All-Star roster with Carlos Rodon.
Fried provided an update on his condition ahead of the Yankees’ series opener against the Braves, expressing optimism about his recovery. He is hopeful to pitch again during the upcoming series against the Toronto Blue Jays next week, aiming to resume building on his strong performances for New York.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What is Max Fried’s religion?
A. Fried grew up in Encino, California, and is the middle son of Carrie and Jonathan Fried. He is part of a Jewish family. His younger brother, Jake, who is also a pitcher, went to the University of Arizona.