A crowded Yankees rotation is turning Will Warren into the odd man out.
The latest shuffle came with Cam Schlittler getting bumped up to start Friday’s opener against the Phillies in Philadelphia on regular rest. That pushed Warren back to Sunday, a move that might have looked harmless on its own. But when the Yankees then used Warren out of the bullpen in Game 2 of Wednesday’s doubleheader, it became harder to ignore what was happening around him.
That relief appearance was Warren’s first outing since the All-Star break, even though New York had already played six games coming out of it. For a starter, that kind of usage says plenty. It suggests a role that is no longer locked in.
The reason is simple: the Yankees are getting healthier. Max Fried is back in the rotation after an absence, and Carlos Rodon is on the comeback trail and expected to rejoin the starting five soon. Once Rodon is activated, there won’t be enough rotation spots for everyone.
At the moment, Warren looks like the pitcher most exposed by that math. The Yankees have framed the recent changes as a way to line up arms for an important series, and they have not announced anything about future roles. Still, the sequence of events points toward a pecking order that is starting to take shape.
There is also a Yankees example that shows how much a defined role can matter. Paul Blackburn has settled in since moving to the bullpen full time this year, putting up a 2.00 ERA in 35 outings after a rougher stretch with the Mets, where he had a 6.00 ERA in 12 games while bouncing between starting and relieving.
“I felt like we were just playing a video game,” Blackburn said of that earlier stint.
That kind of contrast is exactly why Warren’s situation matters. A move to the bullpen could steady him, or it could leave his season in a different kind of limbo, depending on how the Yankees handle it. Blackburn’s success gives the organization a clear example of what a settled job can do.
Warren’s numbers explain why this is not a simple call. He is 7-4 with a 4.00 ERA in 19 starts, with 97 strikeouts and a 1.37 WHIP over 99 innings. He started fast, too, posting a 3.22 ERA through his first 12 starts while tied for the team lead in wins.
But June and July were tougher, and that downturn arrived at the exact moment the rotation got healthier around him. That makes him easier to slide out of the five than a pitcher who is trending in the other direction.
It also puts him on the radar ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Warren is controllable, durable and still only 27, which makes him the kind of arm other teams can value. The Yankees are expected to chase offense, especially at catcher, and a young starter can be part of those conversations.
That does not mean a deal is imminent. It does mean Warren sits in the middle of two realities: a rotation that suddenly has more arms than jobs, and a front office that needs help for a lineup that has gone cold.
New York is still in the thick of the AL East race and firmly in the postseason picture, but the depth that helped carry the club through injuries is now creating a decision point. Warren’s Sunday start gives him one more chance to make that decision tougher.
A strong outing would remind the Yankees why he opened the year in the rotation. A rough one would only make the case for change louder.
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