Tampa – It was obvious for almost a week, but on Sunday it became official.
Will Warren appears on the Yankees' opening day roster, with Aaron Boone informing him on Sunday morning, opening the season as the fourth-place starter.
“I'm very excited, I feel good,” Warren told Stein Brenner Field. “I came to camp as a goal. It was very exciting to hear it from Booney's mouth.”
The door was opened for Warren to rotate with injuries to Gerrit Cole (Tommy John's surgery) and Lewis Gill (Ratt strain), and in addition, Clark Schmidt was slowed due to shoulder fatigue and not ready to start the season on time.
Warren then did the rest and put together a strong spring (even after hitting an outing with the Orioles on Wednesday) he posted a 4.19 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 19 innings.
“I was excited about him and his future,” Boone said. “Like he made. Last year he flashed it all. We saw a glimpse of it. We took his chunks. He improved in the winter, improved this spring, and he won this opportunity.”
The 25-year-old Warren made his MLB debut last season, smashing in six games with an ERA 10.32. However, he tried to use this offseason to his advantage by better handling left-handers and developing more offensive mentality on the mound.
“Unfortunately, we now have lost Gerritt and Lewis, so the opportunity has been created,” Warren said. “But aside that, I definitely had my heart in trying to make a team in all shapes and shapes, so getting there is exciting now.”
Carlos Rodon, Max Fried and Marcus Stroman will pitch in the opening series with the Brewers on April 1st before Warren faces the Diamondbacks.
Carlos Carrasco will slot somewhere in the next few games, depending on how the Yankees use two early off-days to arrange rotations.
Freed finished off as a Yankee on Sunday in his first spring, building up a pitch of up to 78 in 5¹/₃ innings against the Rays.
“A lot of new, first,” Freed said of his camp. “My main goal was to come in, get to know everyone and feel comfortable. [the season]. ”
Austin Wells shattered the sixth home run of the season leading the team with a 3-3 tie, while Anthony Volpe drilled the fourth.
