Beyond that, the starting staff remains a work in progress without Cole and Luis Gil.
Clarke Schmidt is only three starts into his season after a delayed debut while Will Warren and Carlos Carrasco have been hit or miss in outings that have generally been on the shorter side.
![The Yankees are 6-0 in games started by Max Fried.]()
The Yankees are 6-0 in games started by Max Fried.Jason Szenes / New York Pos
Because of that, the Yankees’ bullpen has been asked to carry a heavy load so far, with its 116 ¹/₃ innings marking the seventh-most in the majors entering Thursday.
It has helped that the relief corps has largely been terrific, aside from Devin Williams’ struggles at closer, but in an ideal world, the club’s starters would be able to lighten the relievers’ workload moving forward.
“We just need to be effective,” Boone said after a series bookended by Warren and Carrasco each lasting just 3 ¹/₃ innings — though he indicated they were more aggressive with their bullpen Wednesday because of an off day Thursday.
![Fernando Cruz has become a key piece to the Yankees' bullpen.]()
Fernando Cruz has become a key piece to the Yankees’ bullpen.Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Arguably the most encouraging bullpen story through the first month of the season has been Fernando Cruz, who struck out four more batters Wednesday in 1 ²/₃ scoreless innings.
Armed with a nasty splitter, Cruz entered Thursday with 27 strikeouts — the most of any reliever in the majors — in 16 ²/₃ innings to go with a 1.62 ERA.
“Just his demeanor on the mound, his presence, he’s attacking every single hitter,” Aaron Judge said. “When you attack guys like that, that’s when you start to get some of those swings we saw there where they’re kind of in between, almost guessing, ‘Is it the heater? Is it the splitter?’
“When you got fastball command like he does and a good feel for that splitter, the action is just insane. He’s going to be a big piece for us now and down the road.”
Williams is two appearances into his demotion from closer, with two scoreless frames to show for it.
The latest came Wednesday night when he pitched the bottom of the seventh with the Yankees trailing 5-4 and kept the Orioles at bay.
“A lot of conviction, aggressive,” Boone said. “Another positive outing for him. Keep building those and stacking those.”
