Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees hit the road for the first time this season to take on the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three-game series starting on Friday…
Fried’s debut in pinstripes was underwhelming, to say the least.
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Facing the Brewers last Saturday, the veteran allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks across 4.2 innings. Not the kind of performance you’d expect from the highest-paid left-handed pitcher, but he gets his chance to show why the Yankees made him their big offseason signing after Juan Soto left.
Now, the southpaw doesn’t have the greatest history against the Pirates (3-1, 4.28 ERA in seven career starts, including a 6.86 ERA in four starts at PNC Park) but the Yankees need their ace — in the absence of Gerrit Cole — to show up and set the tone for the weekend series.
Williams, like Fried, didn’t have the Yankees debut that anyone expected. Although he came away with the save on Opening Day last Thursday, he struggled mightily and almost blew his first save opportunity in pinstripes.
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The closer didn’t receive another save opportunity before he left the team to be with his family for the birth of their child, but he was reinstated from the paternity list on Friday morning. His absence was felt in the Yankees’ loss to the Diamonbacks on Tuesday. With Luke Weaver moving to the closer role, Tim Hill and Mark Leiter Jr. allowed five runs in the eighth — an inning that would have otherwise been for Weaver — that led to the loss. Now that the back of the bullpen is whole again, the results should be better this weekend.
The Yankees’ offense is struggling with the strikeout. This is nothing new, but this past series against Arizona showed some holes in the swings of just about every Yankees hitter.
In the three-game series, the Yankees struck out 37 times, including 16 on Wednesday — 13 were from Zac Gallen. The Yankees won’t be facing some of the best pitchers in baseball this weekend — they’re luckily avoiding phenom starter Paul Skenes — but the lineup needs to show us something and cut down on the punchouts already.
Apr 1, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Jasson Domínguez (24) hits a solo home run in the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Yankee Stadium. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Austin Wells led off on Opening Day, but the second-year catcher hasn’t hit first since, despite the Yankees taking on numerous right-handers. Paul Goldschmidt has already led off four times, Ben Rice has done it once. The Yanks will face just one right-handed starter this weekend, so we’ll see if Wells returns to the leadoff spot. But we will likely see Goldschmidt on Saturday and Sunday against Pittsburgh’s two southpaws.
Warren broke camp due to injuries to the Yankees’ rotation, but the young right-hander pitched very well in his first start this season. He allowed just two runs on one hit and four walks across 5.0 innings against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday.
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The Yankees and manager Aaron Boone were very impressed with Warren’s start and he’ll hope to build on that in Pittsburgh.
Anthony Volpe
The young shortstop is having a power surge to start the season and is looking more and more comfortable at the plate. This could easily be Aaron Judge‘s spot, but let’s change it up.
Max Fried
It’s hard to imagine Fried producing a second consecutive underwhelming start. Despite his past struggles in Pittsburgh, this will be the time he pitches well.
O’neil Cruz
“Did you know he was named after the Yankees outfielder?”
Jokes aside, Cruz is an up-and-coming slugger who has an impressive mix of power and speed. He may not be effective against lefties (.200 lifetime average), but he’ll be in the lineup against probable starters Marcus Stroman and Warren, two righties.
