Yankees' surprise Max Fried injury reveal is worst way for Carlos Rodón to return

Max Fried has been nearly untouchable since his return from the Injured List in late July. Of course he has. The whole front four of the rotation's been untouchable.

That's the only thing that lessens this blow, though, because, like a relentless weed, the Yankees' rotation injury woes simply refuse to disappear. After about an hour and a half of basking in the sun and dreaming of Carlos Rodón completing a fearsome quintet and sending Will Warren into a relief role, the Yankees revealed that Fried is going back on the 15-Day Injured List with a left elbow bone bruise, the same injury that felled him towards the end of May.

He missed nearly two months that time, and does not have that much time left to make a comeback.

Yankees' foolish bullpen plans take another hit with Max Fried injury reveal

Remember, the Yankees' entire trade deadline bullpen strategy involved the whole rotation remaining healthy upon Rodón's return, forcing Ryan Weathers and Warren into the bullpen as reinforcements. That was obviously foolish; gambling on 2.5 months of full health is insane for a rotation that's not injury prone. This one featured a rehabbing Fried who built up to full strength ... about a week ago; his prior dominance had been capped by pitch counts.

Now, without a trade deadline (and probably without Angel Chivilli and Kervin Castro, who are both also injured), the Yankees will have to hope none of their other starters suffer even the slightest ding between now and the end of the October line. Good luck with all that.

When Fried went down with a left elbow bone bruise in May, he sat through a six-week no-throw, then sped his way back through the minors, using his final "rehab" appearance to help the MLB team. Unless this IL stint is a pure breather and completely precautionary so that they don't have to sacrifice Yerry de los Santos or Bradley Hannerr, Fried returning before October will be a tough trick to pull off.

And so it goes, as the Yankees' super rotation remains perilously incomplete and their bullpen reinforcements remain at the back end of their rotation. The only upside, and it is a pretty big one? Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Ryan Weathers probably still make up the best October rotation in the American League. Fingers crossed.

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