Inside The Pinstripes

New York Yankees Rookie Making Strong Bid for Open Rotation Spot

A top prospect is building a strong case to crack the New York Yankees' starting rotation.
Tyler Maher|
Feb 26, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Will Warren (98) throws a pitch in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during spring training.
Feb 26, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Will Warren (98) throws a pitch in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during spring training. | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

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New York Yankees

With Gerrit Cole out for the year and Luis Gil sidelined until midseason, the New York Yankees are desperate for starting pitching.

While the Yankees added Max Fried this offseason, they still need someone to step up and fill the fifth spot in the rotation.

Fortunately, Will Warren seems up to the task based on his dominant spring training.

He's been lights-out in five appearances (four starts), going 3-0 with a 2.87 ERA, a 0.77 WHIP and 16 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings.

The 25-year-old rookie looks ready to break out after struggling during his brief 2024 campaign.
He got shelled in his first taste of the Major Leagues, going 0-3 with a 10.32 ERA and a 1.90 WHIP in 22 2/3 innings.

But after getting some experience under his belt and working on his game over the offseason, Warren looks like a completely different pitcher.

He appears more relaxed and confident, and his stuff looks better than ever.

Warren has some competition from the more experienced Carlos Carrasco, who's also looked sharp. He's 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP and 12 strikeouts in 11 innings this spring.

Carrasco's about to turn 38, however, and appears to be in decline.

Over the last two seasons combined, he went 6-18 with a 6.18 ERA, a 1.54 WHIP and -2.6 WAR in 41 starts for the Cleveland Guardians and New York Mets.

At this stage of Carrasco's career, a rebound seems unlikely.

He may have a slightly higher floor based on his track record, but Warren has more upside and a legitimate future with New York.

Both are worth keeping around for depth purposes, and whoever loses the rotation battle can start the year in the bullpen.

Either way, Warren deserves a second chance after making major strides this spring.

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Tyler Maher
TYLER MAHER

Tyler is a writer for Sports Illustrated's Yankees On SI. He grew up in Massachusetts and is a huge Boston sports fan, especially the Red Sox. He went to Tufts University and played club baseball for the Jumbos. Since graduating, he has worked for MLB.com, The Game Day, FanDuel and Forbes. When he's not writing about baseball, he enjoys running, traveling, and playing fetch with his golden retriever.

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