No bull from ’pen
Bombers’ relievers impress in loss
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Adam Warren posted a careerhigh 4.68 ERA a year ago between the Cubs and Yankees and even when he returned to The Bronx in late July, he didn’t look right for the rest of the season despite decent numbers.
After competing for a starting rotation spot in spring training and not getting it, the 29-year-old right-hander was sent to the bullpen late in spring training, in part, because 184 of his 205 big league games had been in relief.
Sunday against the Rays at Tropicana Field, Warren was one of four Yankees relievers to give the visitors a chance by combining for 5 ¹/3 scoreless innings in a 7-3 defeat after ace Masahiro Tanaka was knocked out of the game in the third inning.
“Today I felt like I was back to old habits. The bullpen, we take pride in trying to carry this team and be a strong point,’’ said Warren, who provided 2 ¹/3 innings in which he didn’t allow a hit and fanned two. “To open up on the right foot is big for us.’’
Tommy Layne followed Tanaka. He got the final out of the third and the first two of the fourth. Jonathan Holder replaced Warren to start the seventh and stranded two. Chasen Shreve worked out of a basesloaded jam in the eighth.
As for seeing Tanaka headed for the dugout after eight outs, Warren isn’t concerned.
“You know it’s not gonna happen a lot. It just happened to happen the first game of the season. Nobody in this clubhouse is worried about it. It is strange to see it, but he’s human and he’ll bounce back and eat a lot of innings for us,’’ Warren said. Matt Holliday’s first Yankees at-bat had him disagreeing with the original call and then the result of a replay challenge that the Yankees lost. Holliday hit a grounder to the right side that Rays second baseman Brad Miller fielded on the run and threw to first. Umpire
Marvin Hudson called Holliday out. The DH immediately signaled to the Yankees dugout to take a look at it. That didn’t result in the call being overturned.
“If it’s close, they just go with whatever the umpire called. I thought it was pretty conclusive,’’ said Holliday, who went 0-for-4 and whiffed twice. “Their players ran back out on the field when they saw the replay. I don’t know.”
Didi Gregorius visited the Yankees on Sunday and was on the field during batting practice.
When Gregorius was diagnosed with a strained subscapularis muscle in the right shoulder, the shortstop was told to avoid throwing a baseball for two weeks. Monday marks the 14th day but Gregorius didn’t know when he would begin a throwing program.
“Not yet,’’ Gregorius said when asked if he was throwing. “I have to build up strength. We will wait and see.’’
If all goes well, Gregorius could resume baseball activities April 18 and the Yankees hope to have him back by May 1. Ronald Torreyes started in his place Sunday and went 1-for-2 with an RBI. If the Yankees tied the score or had gone ahead in the top of the ninth Sunday, Austin Romine was going to play in the infield and most likely at third base. Chris Carter hit for Pete Kozma in the ninth and drove in a run with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly that cut the deficit to 7-3, but Gary Sanchez and Greg Bird failed to extend the rally by striking out and flying out to end the game.