Yankees.com: Warren struggles, but help may be on the way for Yankees

From Bryan Hoch:

September reinforcements are on the horizon for the Yankees, and with rosters expanding for the postseason push, the club’s decision-makers will huddle late on Saturday to discuss adding a pitcher and a hitter. There are expected to be more than just those two moves in store.

After rookie right-hander Will Warren struggled to navigate four innings, Giancarlo Stanton came off the bench to deliver a big three-run double. But a ninth-inning rally fizzled as the Yankees fell to the Cardinals, 6-5, Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

“It’s definitely been a grind for us, but like I’ve said, it’s right there for the taking,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I’m excited for this final push, and hopefully, we’ll set ourselves up to get to play in October.”

Oswaldo Cabrera was rung up on a pitch clock violation for the first out of the ninth inning, as home-plate umpire Ben May determined Cabrera was not in the box and alert to pitcher Ryan Helsley by the eight-second mark on a 3-2 pitch. Though Cabrera initially protested, he acknowledged that he was in the wrong.

That was just such an embarrassing, embarrassing lapse of judgment by Waldo. But most importantly, Will Warren likely should have never started this game. The Yankees have enough guys who could pitch two innings that they could have totally pulled off a bullpen game today, and still have room to pitch some relievers on Sunday. You just call up Marinaccio for Warren, you start Tim Mayza, and see what happens. The bullpen gave up two runs in five innings, while Warren gave up four runs in four. Not good at all. And he could have EASILY given up more, as he gave up a bunch of hits in a row, but the Yankees threw out a runner at home on one of the hits. That would have been the fifth run, and there would still have only been two outs (the featured image is the mound visit BEFORE he gave up the home run. Lordy!).

Generally, the Yankees bring in outside relievers, and they seem to re-harness their skills, like Tim Hill, Luke Weaver, Jake Cousins, and now Tim Mazya, to a certain extent (Mayza in his first game here to Mayza after a couple of weeks in is like night and day. He’s pitching SO much more confidently), and then there’s Mark Leiter Jr., who came in having a strong season, pitched well for the Yankees in his first five games as a Yankee and then…has just completely fallen apart. Boone is smartly using him as the low man in the bullpen, but I don’t know WHAT the fuck is up with that dude. It’s fucking bizarre. I assume Lou Trivino will be called up on Sunday, and hopefully he gives the team a boost, and then you have to see who gets Warren’s next turn in the rotation. Is it Cody Poteet? Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil are probably each one rehab start away, so it’s unlikely to be them. Once Gil and Schmidt are ready, who goes to the pen? Poteet has been pitching so well, how do you NOT use him? But he’s not really a short man. Effross has been doing well in the minors, but apparently the Yankees’ scouts have NOT been liking his stuff down there. Ian Hamilton just hurt his back, so I doubt we’ll see him for a while. We might actually get to see Ron Marinnacio be the 28th man!

Now, on to the 27th man – it’s GOT to be Jasson Dominguez, but, well, WILL it be him? The other issue is what to do with Jon Berti when he’s healthy. As unfair as it is, I think I just send Waldo down. You could DFA LeMahieu, of course, but if neither he nor Waldo is going to play much going forward with Jazz Chisholm and Anthony Rizzo back, wouldn’t it make more sense to just make the move that gives you the most roster flexibility? Berti is slightly better than Waldo at all the things Waldo is good at, so Berti makes more sense in that utility role (he’s a faster baserunner, and a better defender at shortstop, second, and third base). Waldo is better than DJ at this point, but does it really matter who your best back-up utility guy is?

So, yeah, lots of moving parts.