Max Fried

Max Fried was removed from Saturday’s start against the Cubs with a blister on his left index finger.

Fried was lifted from his final first-half start after allowing four runs — three earned — on 73 pitches (39 strikes) over three innings. He struck out two and also issued three walks. The 31-year-old fantasy ace will certainly benefit from next week’s All-Star break, but blister issues tend to be complicated matters and usually require rest before they can be truly resolved. The hope here for the Yankees and fantasy managers is that they managed to catch it before the issue became a greater concern. He’s made four trips to the injured list over the last eight years due to blister issues. There should be a definitive update on his status and outlook at some point later this weekend. We’ll have updates on the developing situation as it unfolds.