Will Warren is getting another shot after a solid MLB debut.
The right-hander will be called up to start the second game of a doubleheader Wednesday against the Angels as the Yankees’ 27th man in The Bronx.
Luis Gil, who was scheduled to start Tuesday’s game that got postponed by storms, will start Game 1 on Wednesday.
Warren made his big league debut last week against the Phillies, after Gerrit Cole was scratched with general body fatigue, and delivered 5 ¹/₃ innings while allowing four runs — three on a home run by Austin Hays.
He settled in from there, though, retiring 12 of the final 14 batters he faced and will get a chance to build off that on Wednesday.
Will Warren #98 of the New York Yankees delivers a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park on July 30, 2024. Getty Images
“I actually felt like even after getting punched in the mouth like that, he clamped down and got even better and finished the night really strong and set us up for a win,” manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday. “I feel like he’s been throwing the ball well now for a month or two. Excited to see him back out there.”
The 25-year-old Warren, who battled for the fifth starter job in spring training, got off to a rocky start this season at Triple-A before turning a corner in June.
In his debut against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, Warren’s “presence” and “confidence” stood out to Boone.
“Probably was a little wound up early, but pitching against that lineup in Philly, felt like a big game, and he walks in with a lot of confidence [and the] stuff to back it up,” Boone said.
Nestor Cortes was originally scheduled to start on Wednesday, but Boone was not ready to say whether the Yankees would just push everybody else back a day because of Tuesday’s postponement (which came after Monday’s off day), leaving the door open for reconfiguring the rotation.
Clarke Schmidt (lat strain) threw a 20-pitch live batting practice session on Tuesday afternoon and is scheduled to face hitters again on Saturday.
If all goes well, he could potentially start a rehab assignment. He hopes to be back by the end of the month, which Boone said was a realistic target.
“Today was a very big step, feeling good physically and the stuff being really good, the command being above everything else,” Schmidt said. “Hopefully I can go back into what I was doing and not miss a beat.”
Clarke Schmidt #36 of the New York Yankees works out on the field at Yankee Stadium. Getty Images
The Yankees plan to build Schmidt up as a starter but adjust along the way if needed.
“I want to be able to start games in September, I want to start playoff games,” Schmidt said. “I think that’s probably where I can help the team the most. Now, if they come to me and say, ‘We need you in the bullpen,’ for whatever reason, I’m here to help the team.”
George Lombard Jr., the Yankees first-round pick in 2023, was promoted to High-A Hudson Valley on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old shortstop was batting .232 with a .693 OPS and 30 steals in 81 games for Low-A Tampa.