The New York Yankees let one slip through their fingers last night in Cleveland, surrendering a 2-0 lead to eventually fall 3-2 against the Guardians at Progressive Field.
It was a gut-punch of a loss, the kind that leaves fans grumbling into their morning coffee. But if there’s one guy who shouldn’t be catching any flak, it’s Will Warren.
A Solid Outing, Overshadowed by the Loss
Warren took the mound with poise and delivered five innings of strong, composed pitching. He allowed only two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out five—certainly not the kind of line that screams trouble. If anything, he was a victim of baseball’s chaotic charm. Sometimes, you do everything right and still get burned. Welcome to the sport.
His ERA still sits at a less-than-flashy 4.79, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. His Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP)—a more insightful metric—sits at 3.70, suggesting he’s been better than the box scores might lead you to believe.
A Fastball With a New Gear
What’s most intriguing about Warren lately isn’t his stats—it’s his stuff. Over the past few starts, his fastball has been sneaking in a little extra oomph.
Yankees analyst Ryan Garcia noted on X that Warren’s velocity has climbed from 92.1 mph to 93.4 mph. That may not sound like a big deal on paper, but in the batter’s box, it’s the difference between a peanut butter pitch and a lightning bolt.
A 1.3 mph bump might seem small—like tightening a guitar string just a notch—but the result is a whole new tone. That slight uptick is enough to throw off timing, make hitters second-guess, and turn potential line drives into weak grounders.
Everything Else Gets Better, Too
And the bonus? A faster fastball makes everything else in his arsenal nastier.
His breaking balls get that much sharper. His changeup becomes more deceptive. Hitters can’t sit on anything anymore.
A Work in Progress with Real Promise
Warren has been a bit of a science project since spring training—tinkering, adjusting, learning. The Yankees stayed patient while he worked through growing pains, and now, the returns are starting to show.
They may have lost the game, but if Warren keeps trending in this direction, they’ve gained something far more valuable: a young, ascending pitcher with a live arm and room to grow.