Max Fried was on cruise control Sunday afternoon in Tampa, carving through the Tampa Bay Rays’ lineup and flirting with history. The New York Yankees’ ace had completed seven scoreless innings and appeared to be six outs away from throwing Major League Baseball’s first no-hitter of the 2025 season.
But between the top and bottom of the eighth, Fried’s no-hit bid vanished—not with a crack of the bat, but with a change in judgment. The controversial moment stemmed from a sixth-inning grounder off the bat of Rays rookie Chandler Simpson. The speedy center fielder hit a roller to the right side that first baseman Paul Goldschmidt couldn't handle cleanly.
The play was initially ruled an error, but two innings later, official scorer Bill Mafathews reversed the decision, changing it to a hit. Just like that, Fried's no-hitter was retroactively gone.
“I had no idea,” Fried said postgame. “I looked up and saw two hits. It is what it is. I’m just happy we got the win.”
Max Fried shines as Yankees beat the Rays
Fried stayed locked in after learning the news, retiring Simpson on a forceout before giving up a clean single to Jake Mangum in the eighth. He exited to a standing ovation after 7 2/3 innings of two-hit, shutout ball in the Yankees’ 4-0 win over Tampa Bay.
The scoring change sparked plenty of debate in the stadium and online. Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay was stunned, calling the midgame adjustment “unfathomable,” adding, “You call it when it happens. You don’t wait three innings.”
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Manager Aaron Boone also expressed his frustration: “We're not going to beat [Simpson] to the bag, so I get it, but it makes it a little dicey when there's a no-hitter going on. But the reality is it was a hit.” Simpson, playing in just his second MLB game, had a more lighthearted take.
“I knew I was going to be safe,” he said. “I’m glad they overturned it.”
The decision didn’t rattle Fried, who has been everything the Yankees hoped for after signing him to an eight-year, $218 million deal this offseason. Through five starts, the left-hander is 4-0 with a 1.42 ERA, providing stability to a rotation hammered by injuries.
“I’ve been trusting this defense all year,” Fried said, referencing a trio of stellar plays from Trent Grisham, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and himself that helped keep the Rays off the board.
Had Fried completed the no-hitter, it would’ve been the 14th in Yankees franchise history and the first since Domingo Germán’s perfect game in 2023. Instead, he had to settle for another dominant outing—and another win in a season that’s quickly becoming a statement campaign.
“I don’t think Max cares about that kind of stuff,” said teammate Aaron Judge. “He’s focused on helping us win. And he pitched a heck of a game.”
