Yankees lose star pitcher Max Fried to injury giving Blue Jays a glimpse of hope to gain ground

The Toronto Blue Jays are no strangers to injuries in the first two months of the 2026 MLB season. A never-ending battle with players going to the injured list is something a team always needs to overcome.

Being 9.5 games back for the division lead in the American League East is a tall task, along with two games back of a wild card spot. As the Blue Jays continue to look for breaks to get back to their 2025 rise, they may have just gotten one when they head to the Bronx next week to face the Yankees.

New York Yankees' ace Max Fried is headed to the 15-day injured list

MLB insider Jeff Passan reported Friday (May 15) afternoon that starting pitcher Max Fried has been placed on the 15-day injured list after discovering a bone bruise in his left elbow. So far this season, Fried has posted a 4-3 record with a 3.21 ERA in 10 games, striking out 50 batters in 61.2 innings.

Historically, Fried is somewhat of a thorn in the Blue Jays' side. In seven games against Toronto, Fried is 4-1 with a 2.70 ERA and has a 5.6 strikeout average in nine innings. However, Blue Jays fans won't forget Fried's performance in Game 2 of the 2025 ALDS, where he gave up seven runs on eight hits in three innings. Ernie Clement had the highlight of that outing when he hit a two-run home run.

While it may impact the Yankees for the next little while, it doesn't mean they're still not trying to reclaim the American League East Division. So far this season, the Yankees are 27-17 (going into Friday's game) and second in the division. However, Fried becomes the seventh Yankee to hit the injured list. He joins Gerrit Cole on the IL, who continues to recover from Tommy John Surgery but is expected to be activated shortly.

The Blue Jays are awaiting word on who they'll face on the mound in their four-game series against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, the first time they're meeting their division rival this season. So far the results haven't been great for the Blue Jays against teams in the AL East. They are 1-5 in six meetings against the first place Tampa Bay Rays, but have a 2-1 record against the Boston Red Sox.

The Blue Jays pitching is still at a "work-in-progress" position for the number five starter's role. They plan to use Mason Fluharty as the opener in Saturday's game in Detroit while tabbing Kevin Gausman, fresh off his 2,000th career strikeout, for the start on Sunday. That would mean Patrick Corbin, Dylan Cease and Trey Yesavage would get the first three games of the series at Yankee Stadium. The finale could likely be a bullpen game again, or there may be some minor miracle where the Blue Jays potentially get one of their injured arms back into the rotation.

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