The New York Yankees are tossing 25-year-old right-hander Will Warren straight into the fire on Tuesday night, giving him his first start of the regular season against one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball — the Baltimore Orioles.
With Gerrit Cole shelved for the entire year, Luis Gil out for months, and Clarke Schmidt still ramping up, Warren’s role has quickly grown from depth piece to starter. And now, he’ll be facing a red-hot offense looking to capitalize on any early-season rust.
Spring Training Was a Roller Coaster
Warren’s spring training was a bit of a tale of two halves.
He opened camp on a high note, showcasing great fastball command and his signature sweeping breaking ball. But as the weeks wore on, inconsistency crept in. In his final outing against the Miami Marlins, Warren allowed four earned runs and five hits over just 3.2 innings, walking two and giving up two homers.
He ended the spring with a 5.09 ERA across 17.2 innings. The command wavered down the stretch, and several of his breaking pitches missed their intended marks and settled right in the heart of the zone — not ideal for someone whose game depends on movement and deception.
Still, his strikeout numbers remained strong, and the Yankees believe in his raw stuff. The sweeper, in particular, can be lethal when located, and his sinker generates plenty of ground balls when he keeps it down.
Trial by Fire Against a Loaded Orioles Lineup
Facing Baltimore is no small task. The Orioles boast a stacked lineup of disciplined hitters, power threats, and smart base runners — the kind of team that punishes mistakes and forces young pitchers to throw strikes in the right places.
For Warren, this will be about surviving the early innings, leaning on his pitch mix, and trusting his game plan. He won’t be asked to dominate — just to keep the Yankees in the game long enough for their explosive offense to do the rest.
A Big Opportunity for the Yankees’ Young Arm
Warren’s ascent wasn’t expected to happen this fast, but injuries have opened the door. While his spring wasn’t pristine, the Yankees see long-term potential in him — a pitcher who could eventually settle in as a dependable middle-of-the-rotation piece or better.
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He doesn’t need to be an ace. He just needs to compete, throw strikes, and take one step forward each time out. The stage is big, the opponent is tough, and the pressure is real — but these are the moments where future staples are forged.
Warren will get every chance to prove he belongs, and Tuesday night will be the first real test of what he can do when the lights are brightest.