New York Yankees pitcher Will Warren faced increased rotation uncertainty Wednesday night after a 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, during which he struggled to complete six innings. His performance did not bolster his case to remain in the starting rotation when Carlos Rodón returns from injury.
Rodón is scheduled to begin a rehabilitation assignment on Saturday with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and his return will likely necessitate a move for either Warren or fellow pitcher Ryan Weathers to the bullpen. With Weathers pitching effectively in recent outings, Warren's outing against the Cardinals may have jeopardized his spot.
Despite a strong start, Warren allowed seven hits and three runs over five-plus innings. He recorded only one out in the sixth inning before being removed. The right-hander finished with five strikeouts but tired late, surrendering five of his seven hits in the fifth and sixth innings. The Yankees' offense also struggled, providing little margin for error.
"There’s definitely a lot of uncertainty. I think it’s a good thing we have all these arms," Warren said after the game. "At the end of the day, my job is to take the ball every time I get it. Whenever that is, I’m going to go out there and try to execute."
In the fifth inning, Warren allowed a two-run double to the Cardinals' JJ Wetherholt and an RBI double to Iván Herrera, which proved to be the decisive runs. "I think there was a lot of good," Warren reflected. "Obviously, I could’ve made a different pitch decision there to Wetherholt, possibly get out of that inning unscathed. It is what it is. I try to get as many outs as possible and keep us in the game. Overall, I think it was solid."
Warren entered the game having pitched to a 5.47 ERA in July, though he finished the month with 6 2/3 innings of shutout ball against the Cubs. In contrast, Weathers has allowed just one earned run over his last 20 1/3 innings. Rodón last pitched for the Yankees on June 28 before being sidelined with left elbow inflammation. He is nearing his return after a period of recovery and rehabilitation.