Mar 31, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried (54) throws against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: John Froschauer-Imagn Images
New York Yankees ace Max Fried extended his scoreless streak to start the 2026 season to 13.1 innings after spinning seven shutout frames in Tuesday night’s 5-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners. That alone is impressive enough for a rotation that is still waiting to get two of its largest pieces, Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon, back from the injured list.
But what the Yankees’ pitching staff is doing as a whole to start this new campaign has not been seen in over eight decades. New York’s three runs allowed are tied for the fewest across a team’s first five games of a season with the 1943 St. Louis Cardinals.
We have a lot of really talented guys who are really motivated… we’re leaving everything out there,” Fried said. “We’re throwing the ball really well right now, so we’re just trying to keep it rolling.”
That includes three shutouts already, tying for the most through five games with the 2002 Yankees, the 2015 Athletics, and the 2013 and 2016 Dodgers.
“We definitely like our pitching,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters following Tuesday night’s win (h/t YES Network). “I don’t know if you draw up this many shutouts and all that early on. I don’t care how good your pitching is. It doesn’t usually work that seamlessly. It’s a great start for those guys. They’re pitching with a lot of confidence, and they’re executing.”
For Fried, he is the first Yankees starting pitcher to record 13 or more scoreless innings across his first two starts of a season since Mel Stottlemyer began the 1967 season with back-to-back complete-game shutouts.
He yielded just three hits with six strikeouts and a walk in his seven innings of work.
“That was an ace in control of the game,” Boone said of Fried. “He had everything kind of going for him. Different ways to get you out. He changed speeds really well, had good life to his fastball just back and forth, used all his secondary [pitches].”
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