Jewish Sports Report: Is this the year Max Fried finally wins the Cy Young? (2024)

Boston’s team fell short in its quest for the first-ever Walter Cup in the inaugural season of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, losing 3-0 to Minnesota in the decisive Game 5 Wednesday night. Still, goaltender Aerin Frankel delivered one last impressive performance in net, with 41 saves compared to Minnesota’s 17.

Across eight postseason games, Frankel posted a .953 save percentage, allowing only 14 goals against 286 saves. The 300 shots she faced were nearly triple the number of any other PWHL goalie in the playoffs.

Talk about a rising star ⭐️

It’s Max Fried’s world. We’re just living in it.

Max Fried being really good at baseball is not new. The Atlanta Braves lefty was the runner-up for the National League Cy Young in 2022 and has an All-Star appearance, three Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger and a World Series ring to his name.

But this season, Fried has taken his dominance to a new level — and it couldn’t come at a better time for the 30-year-old ace and his powerhouse Braves.

In 11 starts this year, Fried has gone six innings or more seven times, including two complete games and a shutout eight-inning gem on Tuesday. He’s lowered his ERA to 2.97 on the season. He has brought a no-hitter into the sixth inning three times.

And Fried has done it all while his team is without superstar pitcher Spencer Strider, who is out for the season with an elbow injury. This week, Atlanta also lost reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. to a torn ACL. The Braves are currently in second place in the NL East behind Garrett Stubbs and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Oh, and Fried is in the final year of his contract. He figures to be one of baseball’s most coveted free agents this coming offseason — and his value increases with each commanding start.

Should Fried keep up his dominance, he will no doubt be in the conversation for the Cy Young this season. Only two Jewish pitchers have ever won the award: Sandy Koufax (duh) won it in 1963, 1965 and 1966; Steve Stone won it with Baltimore in 1980.

Is this the year Fried ends the 44-year Jewish Cy Young drought?

Halftime report

WATCH THIS. JTA’s partner, the New York Jewish Week, unveiled its annual list of 36 New Yorkers to watch this year, and two athletes made the cut: Yeshiva University basketball star Daniella Bessler, who was named the DIII Skyline Player of the Year, and Ezra Feig, who founded the Nice Jewish Runners club, which has now expanded to more than 20 cities worldwide.

MAY HIS MEMORY BE A BLESSING. The sports world is mourning the loss of NBA legend Bill Walton, the two-time NBA champ and Hall of Famer who died Monday at 71 after a bout with cancer. Our favorite thing about Walton was his close relationship with Jewish broadcaster Marty Glickman, who helped Walton overcome a stutter and go on to a successful TV career of his own. In a tribute to Glickman for the Stuttering Foundation, Walton wrote, “What Marty gave to me, the gifts of how to learn, of how to practice, have changed my life; have given me a whole new life.”

HI, CHAI! In happier basketball news, Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry and his wife Ayesha recently welcomed their fourth child, Caius Chai Curry. Our friends at Kveller dug into the possible Jewish connections to the baby’s middle name, which means “life” in Hebrew. Steph has previously expressed an interest in Hebrew, and has two tattoos in the language — including a quote from the New Testament.

LONE STARS ARE BORN. As July’s MLB Draft approaches, it’s officially time for prospect rankings and projections. According to Jewish Baseball News, at least two of the consensus top 100 prospects are Jewish pitchers with Texas in their souls: 17-year-old Levi Sterling and 21-year-old Ryan Prager. Sterling, who has committed to the University of Texas, is ranked 38th among draft prospects by Baseball America, and 46th by MLB.com. Prager, the ace of Texas A&M’s DI team, is ranked 93rd by Baseball America and 54th by MLB.com.

CORNERING THE MARKET. The Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, Robert Kraft’s advocacy organization, won three Effie Awards this week, which recognize excellence in marketing. FCAS’ signature blue-square “#StandUpToJewishHate” campaign won gold for Most Effective Current Events Campaign, while the organization also took home a silver and bronze in categories recognizing effective non-profit campaigns and media innovation.

SPRING TRAINING — IN NOVEMBER. Israel Baseball Americas, the new U.S.-based arm of Team Israel’s baseball program, announced its first-ever fantasy camp this November in Florida. Team Israel alumni including Kevin Youkilis, Ryan Lavarnway, Gabe Kapler and Ian Kinsler — all MLB veterans — will be part of the weeklong program for Jewish baseball fans 30 years and older.

Jews in sports to watch this weekend (all times ET)

🏒 IN HOCKEY…

Zach Hyman and the Edmonton Oilers face the Dallas Stars tonight at 8:30 p.m. in Game 5 of their 2-2 series. Game 6 is Sunday at 8 p.m. Adam Fox and the New York Rangers host the Florida Panthers tomorrow at 8 p.m. in Game 6 of their series, with Florida leading 3-2; if necessary, Game 7 would be Monday at 8 p.m.

⚾️ IN BASEBALL…

Max Fried takes the mound for the Braves Sunday at 1:35 p.m. against Zack Gelof and the Oakland Athletics. Harrison Bader and the New York Mets host Joc Pederson and the Arizona Diamondbacks in a four-game series this weekend. Red-hot Kevin Pillar and the Los Angeles Angels face the Seattle Mariners in a three-game set.

⚽️ IN SOCCER…

Daniel Edelman’s New York Red Bulls and Steve Birnbaum’s D.C. United are both in action Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Zac MacMath and Real Salt Lake host Austin F.C. Saturday at 9:30 p.m.

⛳️ IN GOLF…

David Lipsky, Daniel Berger, Max Greyserman and Ben Silverman are all competing at the Canadian Open in Hamilton, Ontario, this weekend.

Hi, man!

Check out this photo of a staffer from the Alberta Jewish News, sporting a Team Israel World Baseball Classic hat and a Hebrew Zach Hyman Edmonton Oilers jersey, sharing a moment with Jewish hockey broadcaster Elliotte Friedman at Wednesday’s Game 4 in Edmonton between the Oilers and the Stars. Hyman had an assist in the 5-2 Oilers win.

This article originally appeared on JTA.org.