CINCINNATI – In 2013, a young Art Warren was toeing the rubber for the Lima Locos.
Today, the 29-year righthander is closing for the Cincinnati Reds. Well at least for the time being as Reds manager David Bell works out his bullpen.
Warren picked up his first save of his career against Atlanta by pitching a scoreless ninth inning on Sunday and appears he will get more opportunities. On Monday, he pitched a scoreless seventh inning with the score tied.
“It means everything to me,” Warren said. “To get my first major league save for an Ohio club is everything I could have ever dreamed of and it is really cool to see this thing come full circle and I couldn’t be more proud to pitch for the Reds.”
Bell said Warren looked comfortable against the Braves.
“He had healthy amount of excitement, even anxiety — especially in that role in the ninth inning against a good team and closing — and to have that feeling and channel it to whatever you need to do to pitch well. That I think was his experience so I don’t think it is not a matter of just being comfortable but channeling it and the best closers do that. In talking to Lee Tunnell (bullpen coach) and just being around Art that day. It was good he was successful but also experiencing that.”
Warren’s journey has been filled with ups and downs.
After graduating from Napoleon High School, he attended the University of Cincinnati and Ashland University before being drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 2015, toiled in the minors for four seasons before making his major league debut in September of 2019.
But the Mariners waived him and Texas snatched him up in 2020, however the Rangers traded him to Cincinnati soon after and he made his way to the Queen City in 2021.
Last season, Warren’s season was plagued with injuries. Despite pitching early in the season he was put on the injured reserve list in July. He showed a lot of potential in his limited time in his 26 games and 21 innings, posting a 3-0 record with a record a 1.29 ERA with 34 strike outs.
This season he is looking to improve on those numbers.
“I think my role will be helping out the back end of the bullpen,” Warren said. “Whatever David (Bell) needs me to do I am ready to take that challenge on and if he needs me to close games I am more than happy to accept that. If he needs me to come in the seventh or eighth inning I’ll do that as well. Whatever I can do to help this club win is really my goal.”
Prior to the Reds’ home opener, Warren admitted growing up that he was more of a Toledo Mudhens fan and traveled to their games but became a Reds fan when he attended the University of Cincinnati.
“They were the closest team around so we would always go there,” Warren said. “I was more of a Triple-A fan than the major leagues but I became a Reds fan when I came down here to go to school when went to Cincinnati for two years. I remember watching Joey Votto at first base, Brandon Phillips at second and Jay Bruce in the outfield. It was pretty special. Chapman was the closer then so it is pretty awesome to put the same “C” on 10 years later.”
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