The New York Yankees host the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday, September 9 at Yankee Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM ET. Will Warren gets the ball for New York against Colorado's Tomoyuki Sugano in what is a meaningful stretch of the regular season calendar. The game airs on YES Network locally and is available on WFAN 660/101.9 FM on the radio, with Spanish-language coverage on WADO 1280.
Yankees vs. Rockies: Wednesday September 9 Pitching Matchup
Will Warren draws the start for the Yankees. The right-hander has worked to carve out a role in New York's rotation, and this late-season home start gives him a chance to contribute in a stretch where every game carries weight in the standings. Warren's development has been one of the more closely watched storylines in the Yankees' pitching staff, and Yankee Stadium's home crowd should provide a lift.
On the other side, Tomoyuki Sugano makes the start for Colorado. The veteran right-hander has international pedigree — he spent years as one of Japan's premier starters before pitching in MLB — and brings professional polish to the mound regardless of where his club sits in the standings. He is not a pitcher the Yankees can afford to take lightly.
Three Keys to Watch for the Yankees
- Warren's command early: Setting the tone in the first two innings will be critical. If Warren can keep Colorado off the bases early and work efficiently, the Yankees' bullpen gets preserved for a tighter situation later.
- Capitalizing at home: Yankee Stadium's short porch in right field is a genuine weapon for a lineup with power. The Yankees need to put together quality at-bats against Sugano and not let a crafty veteran work through their order unscathed.
- Bullpen management: September rosters are expanded, giving the Yankees more arms to work with. How manager Aaron Boone deploys those options late in the game — particularly if Warren exits before the seventh — could determine the outcome.
Prediction: Yankees Win at Home
The Rockies have had a difficult season by most measures, and Yankee Stadium is a tough environment for a visiting club that doesn't carry a high-powered lineup. Warren is pitching in front of a home crowd that wants to see this team close the regular season strong. Expect the Yankees to generate enough offense against Sugano to give Warren a workable lead, and for the home bullpen to close it out. Yankees win, 5-3.
