Yankees’ Pitching Duo Shines Despite Offensive Struggles

It didn’t really matter that the Yankees’ offense felt like a mismatch, as if Hal Steinbrenner had just grabbed the random bits from a limousine’s cushions to piece together a lineup.

What truly mattered was the debut of Max Fried and Gerrit Cole as a pitching duo, a partnership that warranted their hefty combined price tag of $542 million.

Finally taking the mound together, they didn’t disappoint. Even with the team’s offense mostly taking a backseat, each pitcher contributed significantly to help the Yankees achieve a split in Wednesday’s doubleheader.

Fried’s presence on the major league mound came as a bit of a surprise, especially after just a brief rehab start, yet he managed to pitch five scoreless innings, leading the Yankees to a 2-0 win in the night game.

In total, 84,354 fans crammed into the Bronx, only to watch the Yankees’ offense struggle continuously. In the first game, they found themselves at 5-3 in the 10th inning, with runners in scoring position but ended up losing despite tallying 10 hits. The second game saw them go scoreless until the seventh inning, when Jason Dominguez’s double and Anthony Volpe’s single secured the necessary runs.

This day will be memorable primarily for the pitching duo, who collectively attended nine All-Star Games and combined for 12 innings, giving up three runs on five hits, with one walk and 18 strikeouts.

The anticipation for this day had been building since December 17, 2024, when Fried was signed for $218 million to collaborate with Cole, whose deal was significantly larger at $324 million.

Injuries have been a recurring issue, from Cole’s Tommy John surgery in 2025 to Fried grappling with a bone bruise earlier this year.

Now, with Fried back in the major league rotation—fronted by a mere three-inning rehab start—the teams are eyeing more than just two months before the postseason to evaluate what Cam Schlitzer and Carlos Rodon can bring to the table upon their return.

“I missed him all year,” Cole noted about Fried, who allowed two home runs during the first game but excelled otherwise. “It feels like we’ve been playing keep-away for a while, but today is a good day.”

“It’s nice to see it finally come together. Honestly, it took longer than we both would’ve liked.”

Fried, coming back after more than two months away, looked sharp, reaching a season-high pitch at 98.5 mph. He recorded 15 outs in just 57 pitches, mixing seven different types of pitches effectively and getting swings and misses on six of them.

His performance came just hours after Cole, possibly delivering his best output since returning from surgery, laid a clear path for the Yankees’ vision heading into October.

“We have high expectations this year,” manager Aaron Boone remarked, with the team closing the night at 57-45. “These two are the main reasons for that.”

Cole started off strong, inducing 12 swings and misses, and by the fourth inning, he had reached a total of 21.

He struck out the first 14 batters he faced, maintaining perfection until a hiccup. With two outs in the fifth, Nick Gonzalez managed a clean single, which was soon followed by another hit from Jacob Gonzalez converting a changeup into a two-run lead.

Cole quickly regained his composure and navigated a tough sixth inning. He found himself on the pitch clock, managing a tough situation but also hitting a home run in the seventh inning, while another Gonzalez hit landed in the Yankees’ bullpen.

In the opening game, the Yankees only managed to score on Ben Rice’s three-run homer in the seventh, leaving the Pirates to take control with a two-run hit from Fernando Cruz in the 10th.