Sure, there are only seven games left in this lengthy season.
Still, with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clark Schmidt sidelined and a bullpen that lost Luke Weaver and Devin Williams in the offseason, it might have seemed a strong start to the regular season was, well, a bit of a long shot.
Yet here we are. Another solid showing from Will Warren and an impressive performance from the bullpen have kept the Yankees’ pitching at an elite level.
After defeating Miami 8-2 in their home opener, the Yankees have only allowed eight runs across seven games. Remarkably, this ties the 1993 Braves and 2002 Giants for the lowest runs permitted by any team in MLB history during such a stretch.
The starting rotation has yielded just four runs in this timeframe, which matches the lowest mark since 1900, equaling the feats of the 2018 Red Sox and 1993 Braves.
In Friday’s victory, the bullpen combined for 3⅓ scoreless innings, with Tim Hill stepping in to support Warren, who faced a two-on, one-out situation in the sixth, and followed by Jake Byrd, Brent Headrick, and Ryan Yarbrough.
Aaron Judge highlighted what makes the pitching staff so formidable overall.
“They’re dictating their at-bats,” Judge noted about his teammates. “We are feeding on them.”
As he pointed out, the Yankees logged 10 strikeouts and didn’t issue any walks during Friday’s game.
Warren, who had a challenging season last year, managed to shake off two solo home runs to pitch through the sixth inning. Byrd came on, and after Hill’s soft comeback to Liam Hicks ended the inning, Byrd and left-handed Headrick retired every batter they faced. Yarbrough closed it out after Ben Rice hit a two-run double in the eighth.
“We’re playing great baseball. It’s unbelievable,” Cody Bellinger said. “Starting with the starters and having the bullpen come in every time makes the offense easier.”
Manager Aaron Boone praised Byrd and Headrick, likely the latest talents in a long-term effort by the Yankees to develop dependable bullpen options.
Warren encapsulated the entire pitching staff’s mindset with his assessment of Friday’s game: “Aggressiveness in the zone is key.”
“If we attack early, the odds are in our favor,” Warren stated. “We’re throwing strikes early and feeling confident about putting ourselves in a good position. Our lineup is robust. I know they’ll chase hard.”
