Adam Warren Secures Seventh-Inning Role

Apr 27, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Adam Warren (43) pitches during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium. New York Yankees won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

New York Yankees’ manager Joe Girardi told NJ.com’s Brendan Kuty Friday that the team’s seventh-inning role now belongs to right-hander Adam Warren.

In 14 appearances and 17.2 innings pitched this season, Warren has a 1.53 earned run average and a 0.96 WHIP to go along with 15 strikeouts and only four walks allowed.

Girardi also told the website that Warren has been important to the Yankees’ bullpen and that he believes the 26-year old could potentially see more two-inning stints during the season, as he did Friday against the Rays.

Warren was drafted in the fourth round and with the 136th overall pick of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Yankees out of the University of North Carolina. He spent the majority of his first three professional seasons in the minor leagues (he had one start for the big league team in September 2012) and excelled as a starting pitcher, even being named to the Triple-A All-Star Game in 2011.

Converted to a relief pitcher, Warren appeared in 34 games (including two starts) for the Yankees a season ago. He finished the year with a 3.39 earned run average, a 1.43 WHIP, 64 strikeouts, and 30 walks.

Warren competed for the fifth and final spot in New York’s rotation during spring training this season, a competition that was won by Michael Pineda, who is currently suspended for the use of an illegal substance and who will be placed on the disabled list (back) after his suspension. However, Warren wasn’t considered as a replacement for Pineda or for Ivan Nova, who is out for the season after undergoing Tommy John Surgery to repair a torn ligament in his elbow.

“It would take a lot of time to build him up,” said Girardi to NJ.com of Warren, whose longest outing this season came on Friday in his aforementioned appearance against the Rays.