Fried is right about that. The 31-year-old set career bests in wins, innings pitched, games started and strikeouts. And he bounced back from an ugly midseason stretch in which he put up a 6.80 ERA during an eight-start span from July 1 to Aug. 16. Over his final seven starts of the regular season, Fried had a 1.55 ERA and the Yankees went 6-1.

While the Atlanta Braves may have lost Max Fried last offseason, Fried's collapse against the Blue Jays took some of the sting out of that loss.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone has caught some flak from fans and pundits after his decision to remove ace Max Fried in the seventh inning of the club's eventual 3-1 loss to the Red Sox in Game 1 of the American League wild-card series on Tuesday night.

This is the kind of assignment that used to fall on the right shoulder of David Cone, or the left one of Andy Pettitte, back in the dynasty days.

TORONTO — With one big exception, Yankees left-hander Max Fried has been worth every penny in the first season of his big contract, eight years for $218 million. Put the All-Star left-hander on a mound almost anywhere and he usually pitches like an ace. His 19 wins this season led the majors.

Yes, the Braves officially won the Max Fried contract...by not giving it to him. The Yankees found out the hard way what playoff Fried looks like.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone explains why he pulled Max Fried early, but the bullpen fumbled late in a 3-1 loss to the Red Sox.

Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh tied the game in the top of the sixth inning against Gausman with a solo home run. Jorge Polanco followed it up with an RBI hit to take the 2-1 lead. The red-hot Polanco added the insurance run in the eighth inning as he hit an RBI single against Seranthony Dominguez.