There was a strange incident during the game. Will Warren faced a pretty intense moment when Leody Taveras hit a fastball right up the middle.
By the time the ball reached him, Warren was facing first base. It all happened quickly—one moment he was looking at second base, and then Taveras’ 161.5 mph grounder was zooming toward him.
“I just stood there and hoped the ball would veer off, but it didn’t,” Warren recounted. Even though he lost sight of it, he managed to lift his left foot, accidentally nudging the ball away with his cleats, and then hurried to score the winning run in the second inning.
Warren seems to be brushing off concerns about his bat and even his spot in the rotation.
The young right-hander continued his impressive streak, throwing seven innings and giving up just one earned run, solidifying his spot in the Yankees’ rotation during a 7-2 win over the Orioles, attended by 41,239 fans at the Bronx.
Manager Aaron Boone smiled as he remarked on Warren: “He’s not really been a focus for us yet.” It seems there’s potential that’s not been fully acknowledged within the team. “The results we saw in spring training were promising, consistently.”
The Yankees (21 wins, 11 losses) are at the top of their league, having secured 11 wins out of their last 13 games, showcasing a solid performance overall.
Ben Rice contributed with his 11th home run, bringing in three runs during the second inning, which shifted the momentum of the game. Jose Caballero kept that energy alive with his own home run—only hours after it was revealed that his performance had temporarily kept Anthony Volpe in the minors. The offense also saw strong contributions from Cody Bellinger, Amed Rosario, and Aaron Judge, who reached base four times in five at-bats.
Fernando Cruz took over for Warren in the seventh inning, stepping into a tricky situation with one out and players on second and third, but he managed to only allow a single run from a swinging bunt. Camilo Doval and Jake Bird kept the momentum going with scoreless innings for a generally reliable bullpen.
The defense held up well, particularly with Caballero and Judge shining, but it’s interesting to note that the Yankees have the lowest ERA in the majors this season at 2.70—even with a rotation that isn’t at full strength.
Carlos Rodon is set to pitch on Tuesday, potentially marking his last rehab start, while Gerrit Cole will also be making his fourth minor league start that day.
Lewis Hill has already faced a demotion, making space for Elmer Rodriguez, and Ryan Weathers, who has posted a 3.21 ERA while starting six games, is in the mix as well.
The outcome of this competition remains uncertain.
“Once they’re back, I honestly believe we might have the finest pitching staff in baseball,” Warren noted. He hasn’t given up more than two earned runs in any of his seven starts. “The best pitchers will be on the mound for most of the game. I need to keep my spot and continue doing what I’m doing.”
Warren had himself a solid outing against the Orioles, allowing only two runs (one earned) on three hits and a walk over 6 1/3 innings, tallying nine strikeouts and a 2.39 ERA. While those numbers are impressive, they still rank behind Cam Schritter’s 1.51 and Max Fried’s 2.09 within the Yankees’ roster.
In the second inning, he did give up a home run to Pete Alonso, but he quickly regained control, retiring 16 of the 17 subsequent batters he faced. He managed to quiet the Orioles using a mix of pitches, leaning more on off-speed and breaking balls than fastballs. It was evident that he had the hitters off-balance, especially notable with Coby Mayo from Baltimore, who appeared to struggle against a sweeping pitch he missed by a mile.
Interestingly, Warren didn’t overly rely on chasing hitters and frequently challenged Baltimore’s lineup, which struggled to make solid contact. Gunnar Henderson, for instance, looked at a perfectly placed strike-three sinker before heading back to the dugout.
His changeup, a particularly effective tool against left-handed bats, might have been his standout pitch this season. The Orioles offered four swings and missed three of them.
Warren displayed confidence and composure, not at all reminiscent of a typical bullpen pitcher.
Boone commented on Warren, saying, “He’s not content.” After a productive last season, it seems Warren is pushing himself even further this time around.
