Yankees Turn to Yarbrough in Doubleheader Nightcap Against Orioles
The short version
- Yankees host Orioles at Yankee Stadium, 7:30 p.m. ET, Game 2 of a doubleheader
- Ryan Yarbrough makes his second start of 2026 for New York; Brandon Young starts for Baltimore
- Yankees are locked into hosting Boston in the Wild Card round; Baltimore is eliminated
- Will Warren expected to pitch a couple of innings as playoff preparation
- Alexander Cornielle activated and would make his MLB debut with an appearance
New York, already locked into a Wild Card meeting with Boston, gives Ryan Yarbrough his second start of the season while Baltimore sends Brandon Young to the mound.
The New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles meet in the second game of a Friday doubleheader at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, with first pitch set for 7:30 p.m. ET. The nightcap follows a Game 1 that was largely forgettable for New York and a pregame ceremony retiring CC Sabathia's No. 52.
It is Game 161 of the season, and the stakes are largely settled on both sides. The Yankees have clinched hosting duty for the Wild Card round against the Boston Red Sox, while the Orioles have already been eliminated from playoff contention. That makes this, in effect, a tune-up game for New York ahead of a rivalry series with Boston.
Baltimore hands the ball to Brandon Young, who is closing out a strong season. The 28-year-old right-hander has thrown 151.2 innings with a 3.62 ERA, a 4.53 FIP and 127 strikeouts in 2026, a major step forward from his 57.2-inning stint a year ago. While not a star, he has done enough to secure a long-term place on the Orioles staff.
The Yankees did not name a starter for Game 2 until roughly 10 minutes before it was announced, giving long reliever Ryan Yarbrough his second start of the year. He last pitched on Tuesday. His only other start this season came in the second game of a doubleheader against the Dodgers on July 19, when he threw 2.2 shutout innings.
Yarbrough is not stretched out to go deep, and the expectation is that Will Warren will throw a couple of innings as playoff preparation. Warren, who last pitched Sunday in Arizona, has been steady this season with a 4.02 ERA across 152.1 innings. With David Bednar, Brent Headrick and Paul Blackburn carrying only so much workload, Warren could be a useful piece in the bullpen for the postseason.
Also worth watching is right-hander Alexander Cornielle, who was activated to the big-league roster between games with Brendan Beck optioned. A career minor-leaguer signed before the season, Cornielle made 16 starts for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. An appearance in this game or Sunday would mark his major league debut.
With the Red Sox series looming, the Yankees are expected to manage their effort carefully, with players ticketed for the Wild Card Series roster unlikely to be pushed. Still, Game 161 offers fringe players a chance to audition for a spot on that roster.
Fans can watch on YES and MASN, listen on WFAN 660/101.9 FM and WADO 1280, or stream via the Gotham Sports App and MLB.tv, which is available out-of-market only.
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