Max Fried's downward spiral continues after blown strike three call torpedoes Yankees

Max Fried's absurd first half always indicated that some form of regression was coming, and while it hasn't been overwhelming or rendered him completely ineffective, the effects have been obvious. After carrying an ERA into the low 1.00s for a surprisingly significant time, it's now approached 3.00, and when he's been forced to come over the plate, his stuff typically hasn't been dominant enough to get the job done.

The toughest part? It's been impossible to know what can be ascribed to Fried's persistent bleeding blister, and what's just ... Fried fighting through a hole. Personally, I have very little tolerance for someone battling through an injury that saps their effectiveness. I don't know what Brendan Beck has to contribute at the big-league level, but he's on an historic heater and there's no better time to use him.

On Sunday, Fried took to the mound following one of the Yankees' most inspiring wins of the year, with a chance to take advantage of an all-time lopsided pitching matchup against soft-tossing righty Jason Alexander and his 5.78 ERA.

How'd it go? How'd you think it would? Fried allowed two runs in the first four innings, barely escaped a third due to a ground-rule double's bounce, and loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth. An 0-2 count to Cam Smith went to 2-2 before home plate umpire Derek Thomas couldn't spot a fastball on the corner. On the very next pitch, Smith laced one to right and drove in two more runs.

Yankees' Max Fried lost Cam Smith, and home plate umpire Derek Thomas put the exclamation point on another tough outing

Aaron Boone, who loves to get ejected for no apparent reason and did so again on Sunday afternoon, probably should've waited to see how the fifth inning played out before he started his theatrics.

Without Gerrit Cole (and without Clarke Schmidt in the middle of the rotation), the Yankees won't go far without Fried and Carlos Rodón playing co-ace roles. 90+ pitches and spotty command over laborious five-inning outings, time and time again, won't get them into the October mix.

If they do sneak in, it's hard to have faith in any piece of the rotation or bullpen puzzle getting them very far, either.