The New York Yankees are facing a mixed bag with their pitching staff this spring. While some pitchers have struggled, one standout has been Will Warren, who’s turning heads with a stellar performance.
In five exhibition starts, Warren has posted a remarkable 1.77 ERA. Over 20.1 innings, he’s allowed just 12 hits and three walks, while striking out 16. Though his strikeout numbers aren’t eye-popping, his overall performance has been impressive.
The big question: Is Warren ready to step up in 2026?
For now, Warren is penciled in as the Yankees' No. 3 starter while Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole are on the mend. He’s been effective, throwing strikes and keeping hitters in check.
However, the strikeout rate-16 out of 76 batters faced-suggests there’s room for growth. Despite minor improvements in his fastball velocity and whiff rate, and his experiments with mound placement and PitchCom, he’s not quite showing signs of becoming an ace just yet.
Last season, Warren made 33 starts, finishing with a 4.44 ERA. Across 162.1 innings, he allowed 158 hits and notched 171 strikeouts.
His performance was inconsistent, especially against tougher teams like the Boston Red Sox, where he struggled with a 9.42 ERA over three starts. Consequently, he didn’t make the Yankees' playoff rotation, but his regular-season efforts offer hope for the upcoming year.
Given the struggles of other pitchers like Weathers and Gil during Spring Training, Warren seems to have the edge for the starting job. However, it’s still an open competition, and he’ll need to continue proving himself as the season unfolds.