The New York Yankees have placed star left-hander Max Fried on the 10-day injured list with a bone bruise on his left elbow, just hours before their Subway Series opener against the Mets. While the move is a blow to the rotation, the team can breathe a collective sigh of relief—the worst-case scenario has been avoided.

Fried exited his Wednesday start against the Baltimore Orioles after just three innings, sparking immediate concern. However, an MRI revealed only a bone bruise, not the structural ligament damage that had everyone holding their breath. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, surgery is not expected. Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the renowned surgeon who performed Gerrit Cole’s Tommy John surgery last year, will review the imaging to confirm there’s no hidden ligament issue.

The Yankees have indicated Fried will miss more than the minimum 15 days, with a reevaluation planned “in a few weeks.” This is a tough pill to swallow for a pitcher who looked like an ace in his first season with the Yankees. After finishing fourth in Cy Young voting last year, Fried started 2025 on fire, posting a 4-1 record with a 2.09 ERA through seven April starts. May brought some turbulence—11 runs over 14.1 innings—before the elbow issue cut his latest outing short.

With Gerrit Cole still working through multiple rehab starts before returning, the Yankees need a stopgap. Enter Elmer Rodríguez, the organization’s No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline. Rodríguez has already shown promise in two spot starts this season, allowing five runs over 8.2 innings. He last pitched on Sunday, so he’s fresh and ready to step in. The Yankees could plug him in as soon as Tuesday in Toronto, or even sooner if they want to give another starter an extra day of rest.

For now, Yankees fans can take comfort knowing Fried’s elbow is intact. The bone bruise is a setback, but not a season-ender. As the team navigates this stretch without their lefty ace, all eyes will be on Rodríguez to see if he can rise to the occasion.