Will Warren reflected on his performance after a challenging game, attributing some of his issues to emotions rather than his actual pitching.
The Yankees’ starter served up three home runs, each from a different delivery, but what stuck with fans was probably a moment that didn’t end with a home run.
In the second inning, Brendan Donovan from Seattle hit a high fly ball toward shallow center field. Trent Grisham hesitated, suggesting he initially misjudged the ball, before realizing it was his play.
By the time he realized, it was too late. George Lombard Jr. rushed in, turning his back to the action in vain. As the ball that could have been a double for Gift hit the ground, Warren was caught on camera expressing sheer frustration.
“You’ve got to manage your emotions,” he remarked following the Yankees’ 10-5 victory against the Mariners. “Tonight didn’t go as well for me in that aspect. That’s probably why I didn’t last past the fifth.”
The two errors didn’t seem to rankle him too much. Still, he managed to facilitate a double play with Taylor Ward, although he noted that there were plenty of pitches he could have thrown to achieve that as well.
When Randy Arozarena entered with five at-bats, he managed to turn a sweeper that missed the strike zone completely into a two-run homer. Manager Aaron Boone expressed disbelief at how Arozarena got that homer over into foul territory. Julio Rodriguez then took a four-seamer out over the right-field wall, putting the Yankees in a 3-0 hole.
In the third inning, Dominick Canzone connected on a changeup, driving it deep into right field for a 397-foot shot, and another run crossed home in the fifth as Fernando Cruz failed to stop a runner Warren was trying to hold on base.
“All in all, I was a bit behind in the counts, and they made me pay,” Warren reflected after allowing five runs along with six hits and four walks over four-plus innings.
As for Luis Garcia Jr., Boone doesn’t plan on testing his defensive abilities in-game just yet. Still, he’s open to it happening down the line. Garcia, who the Yankees picked up before the trade deadline, was a second baseman with the Nationals but has been moved to first base this season after facing challenges at his previous position. Given the depth in the first base position and some issues with Jazz Chisholm Jr., it might become more common to see Garcia fielding at other places, as he had been doing prior to Tuesday’s game.
Boone shared his thoughts on Garcia’s adaptability, saying, “We’ll see.” He continued, “He’s done outside training, and when I watch him, he seems very natural. … The way he moves, I believe he can adapt.”
When he was asked about Garcia fitting in with the team and contributing from first base, Boone quickly brought up Garcia’s defensive versatility.
“I feel like he can do more defensively,” Boone commented on the 26-year-old, noting Garcia’s experience, with 508 games played at second base, 70 at shortstop, and 101 at first. Despite some stats showing Garcia struggled defensively, Boone and infield coach Dan Fiorito admired his arm, with Fiorito saying Garcia has a good sense of the game when the ball is hit to him.
“We’re going to take our time and see how things evolve,” Fiorito mentioned. “You saw Garcia taking ground balls at different positions yesterday. We do that with all our first basemen. This is about using athleticism across the infield, and I look forward to seeing where it leads us as the season continues.”
Carvin Castro, who was placed on the 15-day injured list due to right elbow neuritis, could return as the season progresses, although Boone noted it may not be imminent.
Castro has been effective in the bullpen, with just one run allowed in 6 1/3 innings, but had to leave after an injury in late May, which Boone likened to a similar issue that kept him sidelined for about five weeks. With only six and a half weeks left in the season, his potential return is hopeful.
Clark Schmidt still hasn’t returned to the mound after experiencing forearm cramps during live batting practice earlier this month. The Yankees indicated it’s likely just a spasm based on a doctor’s examination, and he’s been limited to flat surface pitching.
Boone expressed optimism for Schmidt, who is working towards making his comeback as a bullpen option after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2025.
Giancarlo Stanton has been running the bases for two consecutive days without issues due to his calf strain. However, the timeline for his rehabilitation is still uncertain.
