Oh Max, how is your finger?
After an annoying loss last night, the fate of this entire Yankee series with the Rays could hinge on the state of Max Fried’s left hand. The nominal ace of the staff has had two straight outings shortened because of blister or cut issues, and these are the kinds of games you ask your No. 1 to shove in.
Blister-related or not, it’s been a rough month for Fried. Over his last six starts, dating to June 20 against the Orioles, he has a 4.73 ERA, running into some of the worst
sequencing you can imagine. He’s allowed just two home runs in 32.1 innings, both on Canada Day against Toronto, and it’s been the death by 999 cuts otherwise. The Rays do strike out much more than a team like the Blue Jays, but Fried’s famous pickoff move may be the difference against a club so aggressive on the basepaths.
Joe Boyle, who I could swear was the default name for an MLB The Show create-a-player, will make his second start of the year after being moved back into the Rays’ rotation. He’s been used as a very traditional long man this month, allowing three runs in 14 innings across four July outings. His fastball sits 98 mph as a reliever, we’ll see how that carries over into a starting role.
Giancarlo Stanton gets the night off, with Ben Rice filling in at DH. Paul Goldschmidt will suit up at first and hit third against the righty, despite a 61 wRC+ over his past 40 games. He’s not the loudest problem on the team but uh, someone should check in on Goldy.
How to Watch:
Location: Yankee Stadium — Bronx, NY
First Pitch: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV broadcast: YES | FanDuel Sports Network Sun | TBS (out-of-network only)
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 | WDAE 620 AM/95.3 FM, WQBN/1300AM
Online stream: Gotham Sports App, MLB.tv
For updates, follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.
Tuesday in the BX. #RepBX pic.twitter.com/cZ2wlvjaZc
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) July 29, 2025
Ready for round ✌️ pic.twitter.com/L4eTnY4Ry4
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) July 29, 2025
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