THE YANKEES WASTE MAX FRIED'S START

The Yankees wasted one Friday night. And in September, those are the ones that hurt.

Max Fried gave them 5 2/3 innings of one-run baseball. Ben Rice launched a 444-foot homer. Then Spencer Jones delivered the big moment, ripping a go-ahead RBI single off Mason Miller in the 10th. The kid stared down one of baseball's nastiest relievers and delivered.

And the Yankees still lost, 3-2.

Paul Blackburn surrendered a two-run walk-off homer to Luis Campusano in the bottom of the 10th, wasting Fried's performance and Jones' heroics. Worse, Tampa Bay won, pushing the Yankees four games back in the AL East.

This is September. These games matter.

And this is where Aaron Boone continues to worry me. Managing isn't just keeping everybody happy for 162 games. When the pressure rises, somebody has to push the right buttons. Boone has had years to prove he's that guy.

I'm still waiting.

Fried deserved better. Jones deserved better.

October won't care about excuses.