The New York Yankees walked into Sunday’s game against the Boston Red Sox already depleted. It marked their eighth game in seven days, a stretch that forced New York to shuffle in a new relief arm nearly every day just to keep the bullpen functioning. Two starters were still building back up from injuries at the big league level, leaving whatever trustworthy arms remained in the pen stretched to their limit.
Manager Aaron Boone didn’t sound confident heading in.
“I don’t know how we’re getting to the finish line today,” Boone said.
Someone made sure that fear never materialized.
Will Warren Steps Up for the Yankees on Sunday
Will Warren pitched into the eighth inning of New York’s 16-1 blowout win, carrying the staff through a game the bullpen simply couldn’t have covered on its own. It was a needed bounce-back for Warren, whose ERA had climbed from 3.45 to 4.39 over his previous 11 outings, a stretch where he’d allowed 32 earned runs across 48 2/3 innings.
Sunday looked nothing like that recent form. Warren allowed just one earned run on six hits and a walk across seven-plus innings, striking out seven in what Boone called probably his best start of the season.
The outing didn’t start smoothly. Warren ran into trouble in the first inning, allowing two of his first three batters to reach base in a sequence that could have unraveled quickly. Instead, he settled in, getting Willson Contreras to chase a sweeper for the second out with runners on base, then freezing Adley Rutschman on a full-count pitch at the bottom of the zone to escape the inning.
From there, Warren was nearly untouchable. He retired 13 straight batters before Trevor Story reached on an infield single in the fifth.
Warren’s Mindset Amid a Thin Yankees Bullpen
Warren was well aware of the situation he was pitching into, and it shaped his approach from the first pitch.
“I knew we were short [in the bullpen], but I think every week I just go out there and try to get as many outs as possible,” Warren said. “So that was my goal today was just — no matter what happens, just keep getting outs.”
Boone pushed Warren as far as he reasonably could. He even let him face two extra batters in the eighth, which led to a double and an RBI single, just to spare the bullpen further work. New York is now 17-9 in games Warren starts. That mark reflects how steady he’s become in a rotation role that started the season as more of an afterthought.
– Will Warren on his standing ovation after throwing 7 solid innings in win over BOS
Final Word for New York
Warren’s outing did more than win one game. It bought a taxed pitching staff a much-needed breather heading into a stretch where depth is running thin.
Boone summed it up simply afterward.
“I thought he was fantastic,” Boone said.
Sunday was a reminder of what Warren can be when he’s on. The Yankees will need more of it as the stretch run continues.
Yankees’ Will Warren Makes Feelings Clear After Huge Win Over Red Sox