Yankees Manager Clarifies Carlos Carrasco's Move to the Bullpen

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kristie Ackert | Last updated May 4, 2025 5:49 PM ET

Carlos Carrasco gave the Yankees exactly what they were looking for on Sunday: innings.

With the bullpen running on fumes after covering all nine innings Saturday, Carrasco stepped in to give the Yankees three frames out of the pen in a 7–5 loss to the Rays. The veteran right-hander allowed two runs on five hits and a walk, striking out three in relief of rookie Will Warren, who lasted just 4 2/3 innings in a slog of a start.

Warren gave up five runs (three earned) on seven hits and three walks. Though he struck out a season-high eight, he threw 93 pitches and left the bullpen to clean up the rest. A large chunk of that job fell to Carrasco.

Manager Aaron Boone said postgame that this isn’t a long-term move to the bullpen, but Carrasco’s flexibility was exactly what the Yankees needed.

The Yankees were able to do it because Clarke Schmidt, originally scheduled to start Saturday, is now expected to return to the rotation Tuesday after being pushed back with a sore side. That allows the Yankees to simply plug Schmidt into Carrasco’s normal rotation turn, meaning Sunday’s outing was a one-off relief assignment for Carrasco.

. Through eight appearances (six starts), Carrasco holds a 2–2 record with a 6.10 ERA, 23 strikeouts, and a 1.55 WHIP over 31 innings pitched.

It was a reminder of how thin the Yankees' pitching depth has become. Between injuries and heavy workloads, spot solutions like Carrasco’s Sunday shift have become a necessary part of staying afloat. The question now is how long they can keep patching things together without bringing in reinforcements.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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