New York Yankees vs. Atlanta Braves: Max Fried vs. Tyler Mahle

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 22: Max Fried #54 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Yankee Stadium on July 22, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images Even these days, interleague matchups aren’t exactly common, making t

What is the story about?

Even these days, interleague matchups aren’t exactly common, making this the first time that Max Fried will face his former club since joining the Yankees. Obviously it isn’t as special as that first visit to Truist Park (which he made at the 2025 All-Star Game), but it adds a layer to this game—the unique context of it aside, a meet-up between the Yankees and Braves needs no propping up, as two of the strongest teams in the sport battle it out.

The Braves visit Yankee Stadium, sitting comfortably

atop the NL East, with their biggest concern being the fight for a first-round bye with the Brewers and Dodgers. Meanwhile, the Yankees are trying to keep their heads above water, sharing the AL East spotlight with two of the hottest teams in the sport (in addition to Atlanta, which has won eight in a row). Prior to dropping two out of three against the Cardinals at home, the Yankees had not lost any of their last four series. And yet their place in the standings keeps looking worse thanks to the outstanding efforts of their opponents.

Looking to strengthen the backend of their rotation, the Braves added Tyler Mahle at the deadline, and he’ll be making his debut for Atlanta this Friday. One of the Yankees hitters with the most experience against the right-hander is Ryan McMahon, who has taken Mahle deep twice in just 18 plate appearances. McMahon drops one spot in the order as Aaron Boone rewards George Lombard Jr. for his impressive performance in his first two games as a big leaguer, moving the shortstop to the seven-hole.

Although the raw ability is there, Mahle comes as a lottery ticket of sorts. Before this trade, Mahle was having far from a solid season with the Giants, with an ERA above five, having suffered the loss in half of his 18 starts.

Note that the Yankees have already announced a rain delay, so this game will not start on time.

How to watch

Location: Yankee Stadium—Bronx, NY

First pitch: ~~7:05 pm ET~~ Delayed

TV broadcast: YES, BravesVision

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280, 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM

Online stream: MLB.tv

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