Fried exits with blister on index finger, 'too early to tell' if it will linger

NEW YORK – Yankees left-hander Max Fried left Saturday’s 5-2 loss against the Cubs after three innings because of a blister on his left index finger.

It was a grind for Fried on this day. He allowed four runs (three earned) and threw 73 pitches during those frames. Fried realized something was wrong with the finger on the second-to-last pitch that he threw to Jon Berti in the third inning. It was then he realized a blister was developing.

“I threw the fastball. I kind of felt it go. I threw the changeup with the next pitch and was able to get out of the inning,” Fried said.

Blisters have placed Fried on the injured list multiple times during his career, but he is not sure how serious the current injury is. He has the All-Star break on his side, and the Yankees do not start the second half of the season until Friday when they open a three-game series against the Braves.

“It’s too early to tell. The good thing is, we have the break and [can] try to do as much as we can,” Fried said. “As far as timelines, I don’t know exactly how this one is going to shake out. A lot of the time, you have to see how it shakes out during the next couple of days.”

Before the blister became an issue, Fried was searching to throw strikes on Saturday. He acknowledged that he didn’t have a good outing before coming out of the game. It started in the first inning when he allowed a leadoff triple to Nico Hoerner, who scored on a Kyle Tucker groundout.

Fried didn’t allow a run in the second inning, though he worked around a single and a walk. Then the outing grew worse an inning later, when the Cubs scored three runs.

“It wasn’t good, not being able to execute pitches, get outs when I needed them,” Fried said. “It was just unfortunate timing. I was grinding and [the blister] popped up in the end. It’s frustrating not being able to cover as many innings and stay out there.”

Fried is scheduled to go to the All-Star Game in Atlanta after Sunday’s game, but he wasn’t planning to play anyway because the turnaround time to pitch in the All-Star Game is too soon. He was replaced on the roster by teammate Carlos Rodón.

Fried is not the only pitcher the Yankees are concerned about. Right-hander Jonathan Loáisiga, a reliable reliever during Aaron Boone's managerial tenure, entered the game in the seventh inning and pitched a 1-2-3 frame before allowing a solo homer to Carson Kelly leading off the eighth. In July, Loáisiga has allowed five earned runs in 4 1/3 innings (10.38 ERA) with his slider a notable issue.

“It’s location, for sure. For example, the slider. If I execute that pitch, I could get some weak contact, maybe a ground ball,” Loáisiga said through interpreter Marlon Abreu.

Loáisiga said he is healthy and fully recovered from elbow reconstruction.

“I felt really good out there, feeling strong and normal out here,” Loáisiga said. “So I keep praying for health during the rest of the season, and I know things will turn around and I will start to get the results that I want.”

How does Loáisiga know things will turn around?

“Because it’s my [eighth] season. Guys have adjusted to me over the years. I have full trust in the adjustments that I need to make so I can get the results that I know I can get,” he said.