The old saying that it's not how you start, but rather how you finish could certainly apply to tonight's pivotal Game 3 pitting the New York Yankees against their arch rivals. If manager Aaron Boone's team is going to emerge victorious they will need big performances from several members of their pitching staff.
Naturally, a lot of focus has been on rookie Cam Schlittler who will take the mound as the Yankees starter in the big game. However, it's very likely that Will Warren may end up being the New York hurler facing the most scrutiny. He has a strong chance of taking over for Schlittler as soon as the rookie shows any sign of tiring against Boston's lineup.
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Why Will Warren is under the most pressure for the Yankees
Warren earned his place on Boone's Wild Card roster on the back of being a reliable starter for a Yankee rotation that needed someone to step up and eat quality innings. His overall ERA of 4.44 in just over 162 innings of work doesn't scream postseason difference maker. A closer look at some of Warren's best performances on the season
At his best, Warren has the ability to flummox opposing hitters with his devastating sweeper. He needs to set up that off-speed offering with quality fastball offerings, but he uses the sweeper to finish off opponents when he enjoys advantageous counts. The key for Warren is to get ahead of quality hitters so he can deploy his most dangerous offering.
Yankees victory blueprint likely involves Will Warren
The likely blueprint for Boone heading into Game 3 is to deploy Schlittler with the idea that he can make it at least one trip through the lineup while maintaining a lead. That opens the door for Warren to come into the game sometime during the middle innings. It's very possible he will be the pitcher whose performance determines whether or not the Yankees can hold a lead heading into the late innings.
One additional cause for optimism in Warren's performance is that his stuff could play up slightly when comnig out of the bullpen. If he can take his fastball from the low-90s to something approaching 100 it could make him much more difficult to hit. Flirting with that kind of velocity and following it up with a sweeper that's been good all year could be a nightmare combination for Boston.
Schlittler will garner all the pre-game headlines but Warren could quickly turn into the most important Yankee tonight. Helping New York successfully maneuver through the middle innings could be the key for New York advancing in the playoffs.