PITTSBURGH ¨C The Yankees have an important decision to make regarding their pitching staff, as right-hander Clarke Schmidt is targeting an April 15 or 16 return to the big leagues after having pitched well in his first Minor League rehab start this weekend.
To accommodate Schmidt¡¯s return, their choices figure to involve either rookie Will Warren or veteran Carlos Carrasco. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he¡¯s not yet thinking that far ahead, but the hurlers¡¯ recent outings will be a factor, and Warren scuffled Sunday in the Yankees¡¯ 5-4, 11-inning loss to the Pirates at PNC Park.
¡°There was a lot of good in there, mixed with little spots where he lost it,¡± Boone said. ¡°He had a lot of deep counts today, which drove his work up.¡±
Warren was knocked for four runs in four innings, watching from the clubhouse as his team made a late comeback. Down by three runs going to the ninth inning, New York tied the game when Oswald Peraza stroked a run-scoring double and Trent Grisham delivered a two-run single, both off Ryan Borucki.
Luke Weaver hurled two scoreless innings in relief, but Pittsburgh celebrated its first walk-off win of the year when Tommy Pham connected for an 11th-inning single facing Devin Williams. Williams said Pham ¡°put some good swings on balls and really made me work¡± in a nine-pitch battle that ended with a drive toward the wall in left field.
¡°[The offense] did a great job battling back there in the ninth, giving us a chance to win,¡± Williams said. ¡°We did a great job keeping them off the board there for two innings. We couldn¡¯t get it done.¡±
The Yanks¡¯ offense was dormant through much of the contest, struggling to muster production against left-hander Andrew Heaney, who struck out 10 while limiting his former club to one run on five hits over seven innings. Boone said Heaney, who pitched in 12 games (five starts) for New York in 2021, ¡°had a really good mix.¡±
¡°He used kind of everything, and even from the side over there, he just seemed very unpredictable,¡± Boone said. ¡°We had some pitches to hit that we didn¡¯t take advantage of, but for the most part, he pitched pretty good.¡±
The 25-year-old Warren matched Heaney early, retiring the first eight batters he faced. A two-out walk and a single in the third preceded Bryan Reynolds¡¯ booming two-run double, giving Pittsburgh the lead. That frame taxed Warren, requiring 37 pitches.
¡°Anytime we can put the ball in play early, keep the pitch count down, that¡¯s right on cue where we¡¯re supposed to be,¡± Warren said. ¡°When you have those 3-2 counts with a base open, just go at them. Let them get themselves out, I guess.¡±
Pham lifted a sacrifice fly and Isiah Kiner-Falefa roped a run-scoring double in the fourth inning off Warren, who walked one and struck out five. Warren said he felt he made ¡°a lot of solid pitches,¡± but added: ¡°Two-out walks can¡¯t happen. That¡¯s where they get you.¡±
Warren has allowed six runs on seven hits across nine innings (6.00 ERA) in the early going, with five walks and nine strikeouts. Unlike the 38-year-old Carrasco, Warren can be optioned to the Minors.
Carrasco had a bumpy debut out of the bullpen March 29 vs. the Brewers, but he picked up a win against the D-backs on Thursday, when he allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings. Overall, Carrasco has allowed six runs in 7 1/3 innings (7.36 ERA).
Jazz Chisholm Jr. had a run-scoring double for the Yankees, who took two of the three games in Pittsburgh. The Yanks did not homer on Sunday; their 25 home runs are tied with the 2000 Cardinals (25) for the most through a club¡¯s first nine games of a season.
¡°It was a little bit of a tough day for us offensively,¡± Boone said, ¡°but what a great rally there in the ninth to get us back into it.¡±