Recently, we shared some insights with Will Warren about navigating the ups and downs of a lengthy 162-game season.
Last Wednesday, Warren, a rookie for the Yankees, faced a tough matchup against the Blue Jays, allowing eight runs over four innings. The team lost significantly at Toronto’s Rogers Centre.
Yet, just a week later, he rebounded, pitching 5²/₃ scoreless innings with four strikeouts in a 10-3 win against the Mariners in the Bronx.
“I think you can learn from every game, whether it’s good or bad,” Warren noted after the game on Tuesday. “The tough outings tend to stick with you a bit more. We can definitely learn from them.”
He carried over any lessons from the Yankees’ 11-9 loss to the Blue Jays into the game against Seattle.
Warren handled a challenging Mariners lineup, which includes capable switch-hitter Cal Laurie and rising star Julio Rodriguez.
Laurie, who’s been having an impressive season, managed a couple of soft groundouts and a walk off Warren.
Rodriguez faced Warren twice but struggled to break through.
“He set a great tone,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone remarked about Warren. “His strikes were effective, keeping the zone filled.”
After allowing a single to Mariners shortstop JP Crawford, Warren got back on track, retiring the next seven batters he faced.
The 26-year-old allowed another hit in the fifth, placing a runner on the corners with two outs. However, after a 35-minute rain delay, he coaxed a groundout from Crawford and successfully navigated the threat, securing two more outs in the sixth.
Mariners starter Logan Gilbert struggled in his sixth inning, despite having a strong performance up until then.
“It’s all about attacking the zone,” Warren explained regarding his pitching mindset. “If you go after the zone early and execute your pitch, good things can happen.”
With injuries affecting the Yankees’ rotation, Warren stepped up as a consistent presence, posting a 4.70 ERA along with 11 strikeouts.
Boone highlighted Warren’s effective sinker that night, noting, “The movement on his sinker was impressive.”
Warren mentioned he relied heavily on that pitch during his outing.
“I’m confident in all my performances,” he said, adding that he was pleased with how he was able to create ground balls despite having a lot of traffic on the bases.
