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NEW YORK — Nineteen innings into a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, manager Aaron Boone turned to Will Warren to pitch the ninth inning of Game 2 with the Yankees leading the Pirates 2-0
Warren had just one career regular-season relief appearance entering the game, but there was no way Boone was putting this game in the hands of the one fresh right-hander in the bullpen, Camilo Doval.
Warren gave up a leadoff hit, retired two batters and then walked a hitter to bring the go-ahead run to the plate, left-handed hitter Ryan O’Hearn.
Boone went to his lefty-on-lefty specialist Tim Hill, who induced a weak groundout to second base on a 1-1 sinker. After a replay challenge, the call stood.
The Yankees won 2-0 after dropping the opener 5-3 in 10 innings.
The Yankees remained 2.5 games behind the AL East-leading Rays after another poor stretch at the plate, scoring five runs on 11 hits over two games.
Baseball’s trade deadline is Aug. 3, a week from Monday, and the Yankees plan to be buyers.
They hope to upgrade at catcher and maybe work a deal for an All-Star by acquiring Hunter Goodman from the Rockies or Adley Rutschman from the Orioles.
They’d also love to pry Mason Miller from the Padres. The best closer in baseball, who would come with three seasons of control after 2026, has converted all 25 opportunities with an 0.86 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 48.2 innings. That’s what you get when you throw strikes with a fastball that touches 104 mph.
Even though the American League is very weak this season, the Yankees could use help in multiple areas.
Here are some alarming trends that need to be addressed by the trade deadline:
LINEUP NOT CUTTING IT
If the Yankees don’t trade for an impact bat by Aug. 3, they’ll probably point out that they rank among the league leaders in runs scored, lead the majors in home runs and rank second in OPS. They’ll also point out that they expect Aaron Judge back at some point and probably Giancarlo Stanton, too.
There’s no arguing any of that.
However, there’s no assurance that Judge and Stanton will be the offensive forces they were before missing so much time.
Here’s an indication the Yankees need another impact bat or two:
They’ve scored three or fewer runs in 17 of 30 games, two or fewer in nine of their last 22.
A big issue, of course, is that the Yankees are getting virtually no offense from their catchers. Austin Wells has been a little better over the last week, but his average and production rank last among starting MLB catchers. Third baseman Ryan McMahon and second baseman Jazz Chisholm have been underachieving, too.
BENCH NOT WHAT THEY THINK
Boone often talks up the Yankees’ four-man bench. He’s bragged that it’s the deepest in his nine seasons.
That looked to be the case early in the season when Amed Rosario and Paul Goldschmidt were hitting and Jose Cabellero was seen as a utility player.
With 102 games down and 60 to go, the bench doesn’t look so good now.
The Yankees have once again been battered by injuries, which has changed everything, but Goldschmidt’s hitting has tapered off, dropping from .301 on June 25 to .255 after he went 0-for-3 in Wednesday’s nightcap.
Rosario has been hitting under .200 since late May and below .100 over the last month. Also, it’s become hard to start Rosario at third base because his fielding has been so poor there. His minus-7 Baseball Savant’s Outs Above Average rating is tied for the second-worst among 57 third basemen with at least 50 chances.
Anthony Volpe drove in the Yankees’ second run in Wednesday’s Game 2 victory, but he hasn’t been very productive while sharing the shortstop duties with Caballero.
Boone, by the way, is wrong in calling Rosario a “lefty killer.”
Not this year.
Rosario is a career .291 hitter against left-handed pitching, but is batting just .206 against them this season in 102 plate appearances.
BULLPEN ERA NOT TELLING WHOLE STORY
Statistically, the Yankees’ bullpen is the best in the majors with a 3.06 ERA. They’ve been sensational of late, too, pitching to a 1.98 ERA over the last 27 games. Who expected Paul Blackburn and Brent Headrick to be so good? Fernando Cruz, more often than not, has been unhittable with that nasty split of his, too.
David Bednar pitched to a 5.18 ERA through mid-May, but has a 21.2-inning streak over 18 outings, including a tense ninth inning in Wednesday’s Game 1.
The bullpen could be a lot better in the last few weeks, too, regardless of whether the Yankees find a way to trade for Miller.
When Carlos Rodon comes off the IL, Ryan Weathers probably will be moved to the ‘pen. A lot of scouts think this is where Weathers is best suited.
There is a weak link that must be addressed.
Anyone tired of hearing the Yankees address Doval’s struggles by saying he has a great arm and great stuff?
Doval began to show he was not cut out to be a Yankee in his debut with them last Aug. 1, when he gave up three runs (one earned) in Miami.
Almost a year later, he’s struggled in high-leverage situations.
He’s been ineffective pitching at home, where fans boo him during every poor outing. He has a 7.08 ERA in 20 home games and a 2.16 ERA in 21 road games. That split likely reflects the pressure of pitching at Yankee Stadium as much as the hitter-friendly environment.
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