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Gauntlet in New York: Pirates draw Cole and Fried in high-stakes doubleheader

Sportsnet Pittsburgh · Jul 22, 2026 16:26 · 2 min read

Gauntlet in New York: Pirates Draw Cole and Fried in High-Stakes Doubleheader

Pittsburgh will face two of the MLB's premier pitchers in one day at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.

The Pittsburgh Pirates face a monumental task in the Bronx on Wednesday, locking horns with two of the game’s premier starters in a high-stakes doubleheader against the New York Yankees.

At Yankee Stadium, the Pirates will go up against both Gerrit Cole and Max Fried — the latter making his first start since May 13 after over two months on the injured list with a left elbow bone bruise.

Fried will take the mound for the nightcap against Pittsburgh's Bubba Chandler, following an afternoon opener that features Gerrit Cole squaring off against Mitch Keller.

For a Pirates team gearing up for a run towards the postseason, Wednesday will be one of the more memorable days in recent memory.

Pirates face both Gerrit Cole and Max Fried on Wednesday

For MLB teams, facing one ace in a day is usually a tough task. Now, the Pirates have to face two.

After Tuesday, July 21's game was postponed, Pittsburgh will have a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. First, they will face the 2023 unanimous AL Cy Young Award winner, six-time All-Star and three-time All-MLB First Team star Gerrit Cole. Then, during the nightcap, the Pirates will see Fried, the 2025 AL Cy Young Finalist who will pitch for the first time in two months.

While neither Cole nor Fried have been New York's No. 1 pitcher this season — that title belongs to AL Cy Young contender Cam Schlittler — both have shown how they can change any game. The two have a 3.93 and 3.21 ERA, respectively, along with a 1.16 and 0.96 WHIP.

Wednesday will be a major test for a Pirates team that ranks first in the MLB in batting average (.263) and hits (923), while ranking second in runs, total bases and OPS. Pittsburgh lost its opening game against the Bronx Bombers, and now, to salvage anything from the series, will go up against two of the game's greats.