The New York Yankees took down the Detroit Tigers, but the real story here is Will Warren. Yes, that Will Warren. And he’s making believers out of skeptics, myself included.
Warren achieved something no other Yankees pitcher has managed this spring: he pitched through the sixth inning. In the world of March baseball, where starters are often pulled as quickly as a hiccup, that’s a noteworthy feat.
Empire Sports Media highlighted his performance, noting:
“Throwing 64 pitches effectively is fantastic for his tune-up process, proving he is nearly ready for a full starter’s workload. If his progression stays on this trajectory, he should be knocking on the door of 80 pitches by the time he takes the mound for his next Grapefruit League appearance.”
And honestly, I’m all in for this.
Let’s set the record straight: I haven’t been the biggest Will Warren advocate. But I do admire players who rise to the occasion and prove the doubters wrong.
So, Will, keep it up. If it means the Yankees get a solid arm, I’ll gladly admit I was wrong.
The key now is consistency. Last season, Warren had a tendency to follow up strong outings with performances that were, let’s say, less than stellar. Those inconsistencies need to be ironed out.
There are promising signs, though. His four-seam fastball has gained about one mile per hour this spring and is showing roughly two extra inches of induced vertical break. In simpler terms, it’s got more zip, making hitters swing under it rather than launching it out of the park.
The real issue in 2025 was his sweeper. Opponents hit a hefty .336 against it.
That’s not exactly the “wipeout pitch” you want. If Warren can elevate that pitch to at least an average level, scouts believe he has the potential to be more than just a rotation placeholder.
Currently, Warren is projected to be a reliable back-end starter for the Yankees in 2026. But if he can refine his pitch mix and eliminate those off days, he might just climb higher in the rotation.
For someone I wasn’t quite sold on, this is a development worth keeping an eye on.
Stay tuned.