The Yankees may be rethinking their pitching plans heading into the season, with rising prospect Will Warren forcing his way into the conversation. The 24-year-old right-hander has been electric in spring training, racking up strikeouts with ease and showing excellent command of his fastball-slider combination. With Luis Gil sidelined due to injury and Marcus Stroman struggling early on, the Yankees may need to carve out a bigger role for Warren sooner rather than later.
Warren’s Impressive Start
Through two spring training appearances, Warren has showcased everything you’d want from a young pitcher on the rise. His fastball has been sitting around 95 mph with pinpoint command in the upper part of the strike zone, while his slider has been generating whiffs thanks to its sharp break. His ability to attack hitters early in counts has been a major focus this offseason, something he recognized needed improvement from last year. He’s also introduced a nasty curveball.
“Getting ahead is the biggest thing,” Warren said. “Looking back at some stuff last year, I was always fighting back [in the count]. These are the greatest hitters in the world, so when you’re setting it up for them to have success, it’s hard to pitch. It’s just getting ahead and attacking.”
If Warren can keep this up, he could leapfrog some of the Yankees’ more experienced but underperforming arms.
The Stroman Dilemma
The Yankees entered the offseason actively shopping Marcus Stroman, but with Gil’s injury, they might have no choice but to keep him around. However, Stroman has been anything but reassuring this spring.
Over 3.2 innings, he’s posted a 9.82 ERA, struggling with his velocity and control. His once-reliable ability to generate ground balls has been diminishing, and his strikeout numbers have taken a nosedive over the past few years.
Stroman has made it clear he has no interest in pitching out of the bullpen, which further complicates matters. He doesn’t even see this as a competition, even as Warren outshines him in nearly every way. The Yankees are stuck in a difficult spot—they can’t move Stroman without eating a significant chunk of his contract, and his trade value is at an all-time low.
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The Most Likely Scenario
Despite Warren’s strong showing, Stroman is expected to get the first crack at the rotation spot simply because of his contract and experience. But if he falters early, the Yankees may have no choice but to pivot to Warren.
“I think he’s going to be an important part of the team,” catcher Austin Wells said of Warren. “He’s got really nasty stuff, so I just wanted to try to get on the same page with him.”
If Warren keeps this up, he won’t just be a backup plan—he might be the Yankees’ best option to step into the rotation when an opportunity presents itself.