The New York Yankees are intentionally limiting the workload for pitcher Max Fried as he continues his recovery from a bone bruise in his throwing elbow. Fried, who missed more than two months before returning on July 22, is not being asked to immediately throw a full starter's complement of pitches.
Manager Aaron Boone stated that Fried would not be working at "full clip" and that the team's priority is to gradually increase his arm strength. In his July 22 return against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Fried allowed just one hit over five scoreless innings but was limited to 57 pitches. His subsequent outing on Monday against the Chicago White Sox highlighted the ongoing caution, as he needed 32 pitches to get through the first inning. Fried was ultimately removed after three innings and 66 pitches, having surrendered three runs on five hits and two walks while recording four strikeouts.
The Yankees have increased Fried's pitch count by only nine pitches between his first two starts. Even with a modest increase, his pitch count on Saturday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field is expected to be around 75 pitches. This number makes it challenging to complete six innings, especially against a Cubs lineup that performs well against left-handed pitching. Chicago ranks second in Major League Baseball with a .790 OPS against left-handed pitchers.
Fried has recorded exactly 15 outs in one start and nine in the other since his return. To surpass the total outs recorded prop bet of 15.5, he would need to complete five innings and record at least one out in the sixth. Given the Yankees' conservative approach and the Cubs' ability to extend innings, the prediction is that Fried will record under 15.5 outs.