Max Fried waited nearly a year for another chance to celebrate a playoff series win with the New York Yankees. He helped the Yankees eliminate the Boston Red Sox with a 9-2 victory in Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series on Wednesday.
During the post-game media interaction, Fried got 100% real on what the moment meant to him.
“Being able to celebrate with your teammates after a playoff series win is… It doesn't get old. This is what we start practicing in February, for this is where we wanna be, so just about playing our game and having fun. Hopefully we’ll get a couple of these.”
Fried played a major role in making that celebration possible. The left-hander held Boston to one run over six innings, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out six. His only run allowed came on a sixth-inning solo homer by Willson Contreras.
The Yankees led 2-1 when Fried threw his final pitch, but the offense broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth. New York scored six runs in the inning, including a three-run homer from Cody Bellinger, to take an 8-1 lead.
The performance also gave Fried a chance to move past a difficult memory from last postseason. He was scheduled to start a potential Game 5 against the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS last year, but New York was eliminated in four games.
Fried's final start of that postseason came in a Game 4 loss in which he allowed seven runs over three innings.
The Yankees will face the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS, with Game 1 scheduled for Saturday in St. Petersburg, Florida.