Fried checks 'all the boxes' in debut, including face time with Clemens
Bryan Hoch
@BryanHochTAMPA, Fla. -- It won¡¯t be remembered as his Yankees debut, but Max Fried said he felt ¡°a little kick of adrenaline¡± as he made the long walk from the right-field bullpen to the mound on Monday evening at George M. Steinbrenner Field, his first game action of the spring.
¡°It was nice to just put the spikes on and get into a real game atmosphere, having some runners on base and having a defense behind me,¡± Fried said after exiting the Yankees¡¯ 12-3 Grapefruit League victory over the Pirates.
¡°[I¡¯ve had] a lot of live BPs, just throwing to a hitter and guessing what happens. I¡¯m getting into the swing of things, feeling the competitive juices again and getting out healthy. I feel like I checked all the boxes.¡±
Fried pitched a perfect first inning, including freezing Oneil Cruz on a called third strike, then pitched around a single and a hit batsman in the second inning. He departed with two runners aboard in the third inning, runs charged to Fried when reliever Ryan Anderson surrendered a three-run home run by Joey Bart.
Overall, Fried permitted two hits, a walk and struck out two in 2 1/3 innings, tossing 31 of 49 pitches for strikes.
¡°The stuff was really good; he was up to 97 [mph], and I was like, ¡®Oh, it¡¯s a little hot there,¡¯¡± manager Aaron Boone said. ¡°I think he flashed a little bit of everything. You saw the good curveball, the good changeup. So I think it was a really good step for him.¡±
Fried, who said he¡¯d like to build his pitch count between 80 and 90 by Opening Day, may remember the outing more for what transpired after his final pitch.
The left-hander spent most of the next few innings near the dugout's top step with Roger Clemens, who enthusiastically broke down Fried¡¯s performance.
Fried said Clemens offered advice about in-game adjustments, like mentally locking back to focus on the next pitch when a previous one doesn¡¯t go your way.
¡°It was really cool to be able to sit there and pick the brain of a guy that¡¯s won seven Cy Young [Awards],¡± Fried said. ¡°You sit and listen to whatever he has to say. The fact that he was able to sit and watch and give me some feedback on things he saw, and just pitching in general, it¡¯s really special.¡±
Baby Bomber
George Lombard Jr. launched his second home run of the spring on Monday, and this one was also a no-doubter, a two-run drive to left field off Hunter Barco.
The 19-year-old Lombard hit five homers in 425 at-bats for Single-A Tampa and High-A Hudson Valley last season. The Yankees believe Lombard will continue to add power as his frame -- listed at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds -- fills out.
¡°He¡¯s growing into that body more and more,¡± Boone said. ¡°He¡¯s absolutely put a charge into these last two. It¡¯s fun to watch him. He¡¯s got a really bright future.¡±
Prime opportunity
Dominic Smith is off to a strong start in his battle to win a spot on the Yankees¡¯ Opening Day roster. He added two hits and four RBIs to his Grapefruit League game log on Monday.
Smith has hit two homers and driven in seven runs through five spring games, hitting .286 (4-for-14). Boone said Smith is in the mix to pick up at-bats with designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton set to begin the season on the injured list.
¡°New York is one of the most fun places I¡¯ve ever played,¡± said Smith, who played for the Mets from 2017-22. ¡°The fans are into it from pitch one to the end. That¡¯s what makes the guys come out and really grind and really play hard. That energy is something that I missed.¡±
Smith, 29, posted a slash line of .233/.313/.378 with six homers and 34 RBIs in 93 games for the Red Sox and Reds last season.
¡°He brings a joy to the field every day with him,¡± Boone said. ¡°I think he¡¯s really excited about where he is physically, the kind of shape he came in, some of the swing things he did last year. He¡¯s been a good veteran presence in here.¡±
HOPE Week returns
The Yankees held a pregame ceremony on Monday to acknowledge the nonprofit group Oldsmar Cares, which aided in relief efforts throughout Oldsmar, Fla., and the surrounding area following the devastation of Hurricanes Helene and Milton last year.
Michelle Baldwin, the group¡¯s chairperson, and other members of Oldsmar Cares were invited to watch batting practice on the field. The Yankees will honor another group with area ties, Good Neighbors, in a pregame ceremony on March 19.
This is the 16th year of the Yankees¡¯ HOPE Week initiative, which will take place in New York over a five-day stretch during the regular season.