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TORONTO — The Yankees finally found a spot in which to use Will Warren.
It just did not work as they had hoped.
With Max Fried facing a five-run deficit and then putting the first two Blue Jays on in the fourth inning Sunday, Aaron Boone called on Warren instead of a reliever who was more accustomed to getting out of jams.
The move backfired, as Warren let in both runs on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s grand slam in what became a six-run inning that served as the knockout punch in a 13-7 loss in Game 2 of the division series.
“That’s the spot that he’s got a chance to be successful in to keep it a game there,” Boone said. “We’re going to take our shot there with Will. It’s already five [runs in] and runners out there. He’s on this team for that, behind especially one of our lefties, to go on a run. Obviously, it didn’t work initially. He ends up giving us length and preserving us a little bit, but you can’t stay away from guys because — that’s why he’s on [the roster].”
Fernando Cruz had been the first reliever to start warming up, doing so in the third inning as the Blue Jays took a 5-0 lead before Fried got out of the inning.
But then in the bottom of the fourth, and after Fried gave up a single and a walk, Warren entered to face the top of the lineup.
He walked George Springer to load the bases, struck out Davis Schneider and then gave up the decisive blow to Guerrero.
Warren, pitching for the first time since starting on Sept. 26, went on to throw 4 ²/₃ innings of mop-up duty on 84 pitches, but gave up six runs and four home runs — two to Daulton Varsho.
“I think I worked my best to treat it like a start,” Warren said. “Get ready the same way. They gave me a heads up. … I got to come in and get us out of that.”
If nothing else, Warren gave almost all of the rest of the bullpen a day off — aside from Luke Weaver, who came in to record the final out in the bottom of the eighth — meaning the Yankees relief corps will be a full go come Game 3 on Tuesday.
