CHICAGO — Will Warren answered the call as the Yankees faced off against the White Sox.
The right-hander, who was promoted from Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday, allowed just two runs and seven hits in five innings while striking out five.
“I felt like myself,” Warren said after the Yankees’ 10-2 win over the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. “I attacked the zone early. I got guys in the back to make plays.”
The only damage Warren sustained came from White Sox first baseman and would-be Yankee killer Gavin Sheets, who hit a solo homer in the second inning and added a run in the bottom of the fourth.
The 25-year-old pitcher bounced back in just his third career start after a dismal second start in which he allowed eight earned runs in just 4 1/3 innings against the Angels on Aug. 7.
Warren, a 2021 eighth-round draft pick, struck out a total of 11 times against the White Sox, five times on a sinker and four times on a four-seam fastball.
“Looking back at my last outing, I tried too hard to pitch it too perfect early on. I just had to believe in it,” Warren said of his fastball. “I’m here for a reason. People believe in me. I believe in myself. I’ve got to go out there and make those kind of pitches. I think that was the difference tonight.”
Though it’s a limited sample size, Warren, the team’s No. 5 ranked prospect, has proven to be more effective on the road following his first career start at Philadelphia, where he allowed four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Warren has also proven his ability to strike out batters, recording at least five strikeouts in each of his three appearances, good for an impressive 10.43 strikeouts per nine innings.
The Southeastern Louisiana native got a chance to start Wednesday after the Yankees used both Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole in Saturday’s doubleheader against the Rangers, leaving the team short on pitchers in their final game in Chicago.
Warren’s solid pitching kept the Yankees’ starting lineup going after a stellar seventh inning from Nestor Cortes on Tuesday.
“I thought he competed well,” coach Aaron Boone said. “Everything about what he’s capable of was there. He still has some work to do, but you saw the tools of a guy who has the ability to be a really good starter in this league. I’m proud of his effort and his presence tonight.”
Though Warren held down most of the White Sox lineup, the Yankees initially failed to provide much scoring support.
The team managed just four hits through the first five innings, with the only run coming on Juan Soto’s fourth home run in five at-bats.
The Yankees’ offense exploded in the seventh and eighth innings after Warren’s exit, scoring nine runs including Aaron Judge’s 300th career home run.
After Warren finished pitching, Boone brought in left-hander Tim Hill to pitch in the sixth inning, followed by Michael Tonkin.
The right-hander will likely return to Triple-A after his pivotal spot start for the Yankees, but he’s been encouraged by what he’s shown so far in the big leagues.
“That’s where I’m at right now,” Warren said. “I love coming out here and doing what I can to help the team win. If I go down, I’m just trying to perfect my technique. Working on the little things that allow me to get deeper into the game and give me a better chance of winning here.”
