Yankees awaiting results of MRI on Max Frieds elbow as key questions loom

The Yankees made it almost a month into the season without any real injury concerns.They have spent the three weeks since making up for that.

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.Max Fried became the latest and most important piece to enter an MRI tube Thursday, with the Yankees’ hopes and dreams potentially riding on the result of it.Fried left Wednesday’s start in Baltimore after just three innings due to left elbow posterior soreness.

While the left-hander insisted he was “not too worried about a super long-term thing,” Thursday’s imaging and examination by team physician Dr.Christopher Ahmad would have the final say on that.Even if the tests rule out the worst, it would be somewhat surprising if Fried was able to make his next start Tuesday in The Bronx against the Blue Jays, meaning the Yankees would likely need a spot starter for at least a turn or two until Gerrit Cole is ready to come off the injured list, likely by the end of this month.With some strong rotation depth, the Yankees are in a position to withstand a short-term Fried absence.

The top candidates to replace him, should he need a stint on the injured list, would be Elmer Rodríguez and Brendan Beck.Sign up for Inside the Yankees by Greg Joyce, exclusively on Sports+.

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Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Rodríguez, who made two spot starts after Luis Gil (now on the IL at Triple-A with shoulder inflammation) was optioned and before Carlos Rodón returned, is scheduled to start Saturday for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.Beck started there Wednesday, meaning Tuesday would be his regular day to pitch if needed.Both Rodríguez and Beck would only be eligible to be recalled if they are replacing an injured player, since they were both opt...