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The New York Yankees closed out their series against the Athletics with a statement performance on Sunday afternoon, winning 13-8 in West Sacramento to take the series two games to one.
The result was never really in doubt after the third inning. New York sent 18 batters to the plate in a 43-minute offensive explosion that produced 13 runs and left starter Will Warren with a problem most pitchers never face.
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Warren Gets Creative in the Dugout
GettyWill Warren of the New York Yankees.
Warren started by throwing weighted balls in the Yankees’ dugout as the inning kept moving. At first, that was enough. But as New York continued sending hitters to the plate, the wait became longer than a normal between-innings break.
That forced Warren to think through how he was going to keep his arm ready.
Anthony Volpe noticed it happening in real time. Warren was trying to stay loose, but with the inning stretching toward 43 minutes, simply moving around in the dugout was no longer enough.
So during the Athletics’ second pitching change of the inning, Warren jogged down to the bullpen and threw about seven pitches. From there, he went straight back to the mound to start the bottom of the third.
It was an unusual scene, but it worked. Warren stayed sharp, settled back in, and gave the Yankees six strong innings after their offense handed him a massive lead.
Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged afterwards that it was not something you see every day, adding that Warren handled the unusual break well and turned it into a strong performance.
Warren was focused on one thing throughout. “A lot of time sitting there, and I just wanted to make sure I was sharp to go back out there after the boys put up 13,” he said.
What the Numbers Showed
Warren delivered. He pitched six innings, giving up three runs, all of them unearned and all coming in the first inning after Trent Grisham dropped a fly ball lost in the sun. From that point on, Warren locked in and kept the Athletics at bay while the Yankees’ lead ballooned.
The performance lowered his ERA to 3.22 through 12 starts. For a rotation that has been one of the better units in the American League this season, Warren has been a consistent and reliable piece.
Will Warren has a 3.22 ERA on the year.
There were plenty of opportunities for Warren to lose his focus this start against the Athletics. Things could have gone off the rails when Trent Grisham dropped the fly ball, and when the Yankees had that huge inning. He kept his focus,
Yankees Final Word
The Yankees took the series two games to one and head into Monday’s off day before a homestand against the Cleveland Guardians opens on Tuesday.
Warren handled an unusual situation and came through when it mattered. The six innings of work on Sunday were a good sign heading into the next stretch.
A good day for the Yankees. A good day for Warren too.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins
