Cole and Fried together in Yankees rotation for the first time, and their numbers add to Judge's 99

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NEW YORK (AP) — While the Yankees still are missing Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole and Max Fried pitched together in New York's rotation for first time and their numbers add to the injured captain's 99.

Displaying $542 million worth of aces, the Yankees sent the pair to the mound in a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Cole didn't get a decision in Wednesday's opening 5-3, 10-inning loss, striking out 11 — his highest total in three years — while allowing three runs over seven innings. Fried came off the injured list for the night game and pitched five innings of one-hit ball in a 2-0 win.

“I think you saw a master class today,” fellow Yankees pitcher Will Warren said.

New York manager Aaron Boone had long envisioned Cole (No. 45) and Fried (54) following each other to the mound.

“It’s nice that it’s finally come to fruition,” Cole said. “A bit too long for of our both of our tastes.”

Signed to a $324 million, nine-year contract before the 2020 season, Cole won the 2023 AL Cy Young Award and helped the Yankees reach the 2024 World Series. He had elbow ligament reconstruction surgery on March 11 last year, and the 35-year-old right-hander didn't return until this past May 22.

Cole is 3-5 with a 3.92 ERA in 11 starts, striking out 66 and walking 12 in 62 innings. He retired his first 14 batters Wednesday before allowing Nick Gonzales’ single and Jacob Gonzalez’s two-run homer. Nick Gonzales added a solo homer in the seventh.

He pitched his 64th double-digit strikeout game, a Yankees-record 29th.

“He's at a really good place and I just think benefiting from now pitching every fifth and sixth day and getting back his competitive sea legs,” Boone said.

Cole did have a hiccup when he was called for a balk in the sixth inning. The pitch clock malfunctioned and went blank, and Cole broke his hands before stepping off the pitching rubber.

“They were not aware that the clock went off,” Cole said. “And it is my fault. I broke and stepped off at the same time. I was startled that it was off.”

Fried signed a $218 million, eight-year deal in December 2024 and led the major leagues in wins last year when he went 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA. The 32-year-old left-hander, who had not pitched since May 14 because of a bone bruise in his left elbow, is 4-3 with a 2.97 ERA.

He threw 52 pitches over three innings Friday in a rehab outing for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and was to make another rehab outing for the RailRiders on Wednesday. Then Tuesday night's game was postponed because rain was forecast, creating the doubleheader.

Fried was in the clubhouse Tuesday and Boone happened to be there with pitching coach Matt Blake and other mound staff.

“I walked in and just kind of jokingly said like: ‘Are you guys figuring out who’s pitching the doubleheader tomorrow?’ thinking they were going to choose which game it was going to be between Will and Gerrit,” Fried recalled. “And then they kind of looked at me and gave me a look of like: ‘Would you be on?’ I was, ‘Oh wait, we’re serious?’ I was like, ‘Yeah. Like, I mean, I’m going to pitching anyway.’ So I was — as soon as they said that, I said, ‘Yeah, you guys make the decision, but if you want me to pitch, I’m ready.’”

He struck out seven and walked one while throwing 37 of 57 pitches for strikes and retiring his last 12 batters.

“It’s something that I’ve been looking forward to for a while now and kind of sucks that I got hurt when I did to delay that, but better late than never,” Fried said.

His four-seam fastball averaged 96.2 mph, 1.5 mph above his season average coming in.

“It’s as good as he’s looked all year,” Boone said.

New York currently is still missing left-hander Carlos Rodón, who hasn't pitched since June 28 because of left elbow inflammation. Right-hander Clarke Schmidt threw 20 pitches of batting practice in his second BP session since elbow surgery on July 11 last year and probably will have another in a few days.

“Hopefully in the final couple of months of the regular season that rotation can continue to be a real strength for us,” Boone said.

Cole had been waiting 19 months to go back-to-back with Fried.

“We were so excited when we signed him. He’s just a magnificent pitcher and he’s a great compliment to the other starters that we have in our rotation,” he said. “Definitely looking forward to the next few months.”

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