DETROIT — It was a scene fit for a baseball fan's dream: Max Fried of the Yankees and Jack Flaherty of the Tigers, both former high school teammates from Harvard-Westlake, squaring off on the major league stage for the first time. As they crossed paths near Comerica Park’s center field for their pregame routines, a nod of acknowledgment spoke volumes.
Tickets to matchups like this don’t last long, so snag yours early for a prime seat!
Both pitchers were clear about one thing: it wasn’t about facing each other but rather shutting down the opposing lineups. And the fans got what they came for.
“We’re both competitive, and so we knew we were locked in and had a job to do,” Fried shared. Adding context to the Yankees' 4-3 victory, Fried reflected on the series, “It was a cool experience, but we lost the first two games, and I just wanted to make sure that I did whatever I could to keep us in the game to hopefully come out with the win.”
The afternoon was a classic pitcher’s duel with Fried and Flaherty combining for 20 strikeouts. The Yankees' win was crafted in the bullpens, highlighted by Ben Rice’s pivotal two-run homer off Tyler Holton in the seventh inning, with the Yankees' ninth-inning rally sealing the deal.
Yet, Flaherty acknowledged Fried’s additional five outs as a key influence in the game’s outcome. “Max, he was unbelievable today.
He outpitched me,” Flaherty admitted, adding grist to the post-game chatter. “If I stay away from that long second inning, it hopefully leads to getting a little deeper into games.”
Delving a bit into their backstory unveils a powerhouse rotation at Harvard-Westlake in 2012, where Fried joined for his senior season alongside Flaherty and Lucas Giolito — all mapped for greatness early on. The high school trinity has since triumphed in the big leagues, with their coach Ethan Katz moving up to serve as the White Sox pitching coach.
These two hurlers have crisscrossed paths in MLB corridors but never in a game until now. Flaherty noted, “I don't think we ever really talked about if we matched up,” underscoring the uniqueness of this face-off.
On the field, Fried’s ability to stifle hitters from both sides of the plate posed a formidable challenge. Even as the Tigers attempted platoon strategies, Fried emerged almost unscathed, allowing just five hits with a pair of scoring threats quickly extinguished with strikeouts in critical moments. “You saw him in that seventh inning rear back a bit,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone noted, praising Fried’s late-inning tenacity.
Flaherty, not to be outdone, delivered with a mix of breaking balls and assertive fastballs. A memorable moment came in a 10-pitch battle, dealing a 95 mph fastball past Aaron Judge. Flaherty kept composure, particularly in loading and then escaping a bases-loaded jam in the second inning, a testament to his resolve amidst pressure.
“When the other guy's putting up zeroes, it's your job to get the team back in the dugout,” Flaherty said, emphasizing the mental tenacity required in such duels. “I just have to focus on my job and do what I've gotta do.”
As the teams packed their bags — the Yankees heading home and the Tigers bound for Minnesota — Fried and Flaherty resumed their friendship, a brief hiatus from their competitive edges. “He did what he was supposed to do,” Flaherty concluded. “He pitched a good game.”
For a glimpse of the camaraderie and competition that drives baseball, this outing was a sterling example. Keep an eye on both these pitchers; their mutual respect and common history promise more thrilling encounters.
[DETROIT-SPECIFIC LINK]
