Video summary
Max Fried reflected on his recent outing against the Rockies, acknowledging that while the opposing team's approach was effective, he felt a mix of factors contributed to the result. He noted that the batters were seeing many pitches and not chasing as much as usual, which led him to throw several non-competitive offerings. Although he managed to secure strikeouts, which is somewhat unusual for his style, he admitted to having some deep counts due to bad misses. Fried expressed regret over pitching 80 innings without getting through four batters, emphasizing that he did not want to burden the bullpen, but he praised the team's excellent job in covering the game and closing out the series with strong defense and offense.
Regarding his physical condition and progress since returning from injury, Fried stated that he feels good and is pleased with how he has been throwing. He confirmed that he was hitting his marks accurately and felt capable of staying in the game longer if necessary, which is always a positive sign for his development. He remains committed to continuing his gradual build-up process rather than rushing back, trusting the smart people on his staff who work hard to ensure he stays healthy when it matters most. This patient approach aligns with the team's plan to have him fully prepared for the end of the season and the playoffs, allowing him to execute at his best without risking further setbacks.
The conversation also shifted to teammate Anthony Volpe, whose performance after being sent down to Triple-A was particularly noteworthy. Fried highlighted how rewarding it is to see a player who has worked so hard make an immediate impact upon returning, especially when playing a new position for the first time at this level. Volpe's night included three hits and a grand slam that helped put the game out of reach, showcasing his dedication and ability to contribute significantly to the team's success. Fried expressed genuine happiness for Volpe, recognizing him as a great teammate who has earned every opportunity through his relentless effort both in the minors and back in the major league lineup.
As the playoffs approach within just a couple of weeks, Fried confirmed that he feels in a good spot despite still being in the early stages of his physical preparation. He acknowledged that while it would be tempting to skip ahead in his recovery plan, the organization's strategy is designed to maximize his health and performance for the critical moments of the season. By trusting the team's experts and following their structured timeline, Fried is excited about his next start and confident that he will be completely built up by the time the postseason begins. This balanced perspective between immediate readiness and long-term sustainability underscores his commitment to contributing effectively when it counts most.
Read the full video transcript
Max, they really made you work out there
tonight. Just what was it about their
approach or just feel like overall you
weren't that sharp out there?
>> Uh
I think it was a a little of everything.
Um
you know, they
they saw a lot of pitches. They were
they were, you know, having some good at
bats and not chasing. I felt like I was
I [snorts] was getting ahead and then
just threw a lot of also just
non-competitive pitches.
Uh
and then was able to throw on the
was getting a lot of strikeouts, which
is a little, you know,
not characteristic for me, but
um
yeah, I I think it was just a it was a
weird
it's kind of a kind of a weird outing
where I was executing in in certain
counts, but I also had a lot of really
really bad misses, which caused
a lot of deep counts. Um and obviously
going 80 pitches and only getting
through not not getting through four is
is not ideal and I didn't want to put
the bullpen in that position, but they
did a great job picking me up and uh you
know, covering that game. And then
obviously the defense and offense just
it was a really good way to close out
the series.
>> You're still essentially building
yourself up. Just what do you think
about where you're at right now and how
you've been throwing overall since
coming back?
>> Um
feeling good. Liking kind of the the
progress so far.
Uh
hitting my marks. Definitely felt like I
could have stayed in that game and and
still kept going, so which is always a
good thing. Um
uh yeah, just going to keep building.
>> Physically still feel good?
>> Yeah.
>> You mentioned the good team win. Just
what was it like to see Anthony Volpe
have the type of night that he had after
being sent down and now getting another
opportunity up at this level?
>> Uh
you know, you you root for you root for
games like that, especially
with how hard he's been working and
everything he's been doing down in
Triple-A.
Uh
coming up, new position
for the first time up here and just
making an immediate impact. Uh
three hits, grand slam obviously to help
kind of put that game out of reach, but
uh
great teammate, works hard, and uh
really couldn't be happier for him.
>> Only a couple weeks until the playoff
gets started. I mean, do you feel like
you're in a good spot to be where you
want to be with that little time left?
>> Yeah.
Uh still going to be building up, and
you know,
we're we're looking forward to
having me being completely built up for
uh the end of the season and the
playoffs. So, I'm
They've had a plan. Um
as much as I would love to
fast-forward the plan and just say, you
know, let's throw it all out the window.
Uh
you know, they got a lot of really smart
people that work really hard here to try
to make sure that I'm going to be
healthy for when it matters most. So, um
trusting them, and uh
just excited to be able to go make my
next start.