The Yankees locked in one of their most important personnel decisions before the offseason even got rolling, re-signing pitching coach Matt Blake to a three-year deal.
That matters for the entire staff, but it may matter most for Will Warren. The right-hander is heading into 2027 for his fourth big-league season, and he’s still trying to turn flashes into something steady.
Blake has been a huge part of what the Yankees have built on the mound since 2020. He’s helped turn pitchers like Clay Holmes, Nestor Cortes Jr., Tim Hill, Luke Weaver, Brent Headrick, and Paul Blackburn into useful big-league arms, with Headrick and Blackburn standing out this season as well. On the development side, the source points to Cam Schlittler as another success story.
Warren has shown enough to keep the Yankees interested, but not enough to remove the questions. In 2025 and 2026, he had stretches where he looked sharp and stretches where he looked lost.
This season, he opened strong with a 3.22 ERA across his first 12 appearances, then closed well with a 2.12 ERA over his final seven outings, including two relief appearances. Sandwiched in between was a rough 13-appearance stretch from June 8 to August 19 in which he posted a 5.77 ERA, with 12 of those outings coming as starts.
The split issue has been there too. Warren has been more effective against right-handed hitters than left-handed ones in both seasons, and the lefties have given him plenty of trouble. Even beyond that, he’s been vulnerable to the long ball, giving up more than 20 home runs across the two campaigns.
For now, the Yankees and Warren probably still see him as a starter first. That would give them a back-end arm with some stability.
But the late-season trial in relief showed another path. In 6.2 innings out of the bullpen, Warren didn’t allow a run, gave up just four hits, struck out eight, and walked two.
Will Warren Stuff+ by role:As SP: 102 Stuff+As RP: 113 Stuff+He's throwing harder in a bullpen role with more movement on his pitches, and it could make him a real weapon for NYY in October. pic.twitter.com/jcgliAHfQh
That leaves his role unsettled, even if the Yankees like what they’ve seen in both settings. He has the stamina to work deep into games, but his stuff played with more life in relief. Now he gets to sort that out with Blake, who has built a reputation for finding a pitcher’s best trait and squeezing the most out of it.
That’s the assignment here: find the pitch that plays, then build around it. Blackburn used his sinker against righties and his changeup against lefties.
Weaver trimmed his arsenal down to a fastball-changeup mix that worked. Holmes found extra velocity on a heavy sinker.
Warren’s challenge is simpler to state and harder to solve - identify the pitch that gives him an edge, then lean on it.
He’s too talented to be treated like a routine fifth starter. With Blake staying in place, the Yankees have another chance to help Warren figure out what he really is.
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