Ron Marinaccio came into spring training with people talking about him. At least, pitching coach Matt Blake was talking about the right-hander out of Toms River, N.J. and his lethal changeup as one of the Yankees young, home-grown pitchers who had at least one pitch that could make an impact on the big league club this season.

Now, we all know why Blake was penciling Marinaccio in for big spots this season.

Marinaccio threw two scoreless innings in Thursday night’s win over the Royals at Yankee Stadium. The 27-year-old (who was on the injured list July 3 until last weekend) has not allowed a run in 15 straight appearances over 19 straight innings, dating back to May 22.

Marinaccio’s emergence comes at an important juncture for the Yankees, whose bullpen has taken some serious hits. They lost Chad Green for the season to Tommy John surgery. Just last weekend, they lost Michael King for the rest of the year with a fractured elbow. The bullpen is currently without Miguel Castro, who is out with a right shoulder strain and they are just starting to regain some trust in Aroldis Chapman and Jonathan Loaisiga, both of whom have struggled this season.

So it was Marinaccio that Yankees manager Aaron Boone turned to for the seventh and eighth inning of a scoreless tied game on Thursday night. Marinaccio embraced the opportunity.

“I don’t think there’s anybody on the team that doesn’t want to pitch when the game is on the line,” Marinaccio said. “We wouldn’t be here if that was the case. Like I said, I’m ready to pitch whatever inning we need.”

While the Yankees have been out searching for a bullpen arm to solidify things before Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline, they have some young internal arms that they can count on. JP Sears has been tremendous, Clarke Schmidt has pitched some big innings and Marinaccio is stepping into a clutch role.

“He’s had a really nice year for us,” Boone said. “He’s coming off a really strong (2021 in the minors) for us to earn an opportunity in spring training and kick the door in … He’s earned those kinds of opportunities. He continues to be a real factor for us,”

Opponents have hit 1-for-57 against Marinaccio since May 22. The one hit was an infield single by Gio Urshela on June 7. He has not allowed a hit in 11 straight appearances, dating back to June 10, tied with Tommy Kahnle for the second longest such streak in franchise history. He is one shy of the team record set by Paul Assenmacher in 1993.

The 19-inning scoreless streak is the third longest active streak in the majors, trailing only Devin Williams of the Brewers (26.2) and the White Sox Dylan Cease (20.2)

Marinaccio has not allowed a hit in 16 of his first 19 big league appearances, the best start by a Yankees pitcher in franchise history through 19 games. He is tied with Joba Chamberlain for the most scoreless appearances by a Yankees pitcher through their first 19 big league outings. He has not allowed a run in 17 of 19.

His changeup, playing off a four-seam fastball that sits at 94.4 miles an hour and touches 96, is his best weapon. He has a 48.1% Whiff rate and 32.65 put-away rate. Hitters are averaging .033 against his changeup this season.

He has also incorporated his slider more this season, which hitters are averaging just .176 against this season.

He’s impressed the hitters who have seen him the most this season, like Aaron Judge.

“Just consistent … He’s just consistently coming out there, throwing strikes, working all three of his pitches,” Judge said. “Sometimes you get guys, especially young rookies that kind of only have one or two pitches that they can kind of use, but this guy, from the very first day — changeup, slider, fastball to the mid-90s. It’s been impressive, and I feel like his heartbeat doesn’t get above 60, it’s great.

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