Coming off the strongest start of his season, pitcher Will Warren is set to transition to a bullpen role for an upcoming game, at least temporarily. Warren is expected to "piggyback" starter Max Fried in the series opener against the Padres at Petco Park. This move allows the Yankees to strategically utilize off-days on Thursday and Monday.
Fried, who is in his second start since returning from an injured list stint for a left elbow bone bruise, is anticipated to have his pitch count managed, likely around 65-70 pitches. Warren's role behind Fried is intended to reduce the burden on the bullpen, preventing them from having to cover an excessive number of innings.
Despite Warren's recent success, including seven innings of one-run ball against the Red Sox on Sunday, manager Aaron Boone stated that the conversation about the pitching change was not difficult. "We all understand where we are in the season, how important all these games are, and in Will’s case, how important he is to this team and what we’re doing," Boone said. "We’re trying to win, and I think everyone understands that at this point."
While Boone indicated this was not a pre-planned strategy, the assignment also offers Warren experience in a bullpen capacity, a role he might encounter during the playoffs. When asked about Warren's potential return to the rotation after Friday, Boone initially suggested, "Yeah, he could slot back in," but later qualified it with, "We’ll see how it all shakes out."
The Yankees' pitching rotation plans include Carlos Rodón starting on Saturday. A starter for Sunday had not yet been named, but Gerrit Cole would be on his normal four days of rest, potentially positioning Cam Schlittler to start Tuesday against the Rockies with five days of rest. If Cole requires an additional day, Elmer Rodríguez would be available, having pitched on Monday against the Angels.
In other team news, Anthony Volpe appears to have avoided a significant injury. The player returned to the lineup for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday after leaving Wednesday's game early. Volpe was hit by an 87 mph fastball on his right forearm in the fourth inning on Wednesday. He initially remained in the game, stealing a base and taking another at-bat before being replaced in the field in the sixth inning. By Thursday, Volpe was back starting at second base for the RailRiders. He has been performing well offensively since his demotion in early August, batting .276 with a 1.008 OPS and eight home runs in 23 games.