Will Warren vs. Ryan Weathers: Who's Most Likely to be Moved to Yankees' Bullpen?

A look at who's most likely to be booted from the rotation when Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole return.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Will Warren (98) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at George M. Steinbrenner Field. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees have one of baseball's best starting rotations. Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Ryan Weathers have been outstanding more often than not whenever they've stepped on the mound, allowing the Yankees the chance to beat Major League Baseball's top contenders on any given night.

The starting rotation is showing no signs of slowing down, and the Yankees' unit will be even stronger when injured hurlers Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole make their return. The veteran duo's rehab stints have been going well, and it likely won't be long until either of them rejoins the mix. New York already began preparing for their eventual returns, optioning the struggling Luis Gil (1-2, 6.05 ERA in four starts) to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday.

Following today’s game, the Yankees optioned RHP Luis Gil to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 26, 2026

Even though demoting Gil helped clear up the pitching logjam, the Yankees still only have one starting spot for Rodón and Cole. It's highly unlikely that manager Aaron Boone would even consider putting Fried and Schlittler in the bullpen, meaning either Warren or Weathers will be the odd man out when reinforcements arrive.

Yankees are already weighing their bullpen options

Before Gil's demotion, Yankees pitching manager Matt Blake was asked about which starter is the likeliest candidate for a bullpen move. According to New York Daily News's Gary Phillips, "Blake thinks Weathers and Warren have stuff that could play up in the bullpen," adding that whoever gets moved will likely have to make some big-time adjustments.

There probably would be an adjustment period for any of these guys to go to the pen and learn a pen lifestyle, routine and expectations. ... It’d be hard to just pivot right to it, but any of these guys could be viable down there.

Matt Blake via Gary Phillips

Being a starter pitcher, while physically and mentally demanding, is different than being a reliever, who often gets thrown into the middle of the game during high-pressure situations. While Warren and Weathers have each had solid performances so far, asking them to do the same out of the bullpen will be easier said than done.

So, who's likelier to get the move?

Why Yankees could move Will Warren to the bullpen

New York Yankees starting pitcher Will Warren (29) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

The 2025 season saw Warren cement himself as part of the Yankees' starting rotation. The former 2021 eighth-round selection made an American League-leading 33 starts, going 9-8 with a 4.44 ERA and 171 strikeouts across 162 1/3 innings, all while seeing his hits per nine innings drop from 13.1 to 8.8. The effort was good enough for Warren to finish eighth in the AL Rookie of the Year race.

New York fans wondered how Warren would follow up that performance, and, so far, he hasn't disappointed. He boasts a flawless 3-0 record through his first six starts, striking out 37 batters in 31 1/3 innings. His 2.59 ERA is a result of not allowing more than two earned runs in a contest so far, and that's without mentioning how he's held opposing batters to a .634 OPS (MLB average is .715).

.@Plesac19 breaks down why having two fastballs lets Will Warren make the most of his repertoire ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/h0Rnhre1Li

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 24, 2026

The main concern here is that Warren hasn't seen many relief situations. He has one MLB relief appearance under his belt, two in 76 minor-league outings, and 13 during his collegiate run at Southeastern Louisiana. That lack of experience could make him lose confidence if he struggles to get his feet under him.

Despite his lack of bullpen experience, the Yankees might want to use Warren as a reliever if it means resting his arm. He pitched over 160 innings last season and is already at just over 31 this year. If he plays the same number of games as he did in 2025, Warren is on pace to pitch about 172 1/3 innings, which might be too much for New York's taste—especially if Boone wants him fresh for the playoffs.

Why Yankees could move Ryan Weathers to the bullpen

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) makes a pitching change, taking out pitcher Ryan Weathers (40) against the Miami Marlins during the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Unlike Warren, Weathers was more of an unknown commodity among Yankees fans when the 2026 season started. The 26-year-old southpaw showed promising flashes throughout his five previous seasons, but needed a fresh start after being stuck on the Miami Marlins over the last few years. A trade to New York in January, with four players going back to South Beach, gave Weathers exactly what he needed.

Through six starts and 33 2/3 innings, Weather is 1-2 with a 3.21 ERA and career-best 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings. He experienced a rocky start to April but has since stood on business, striking out 12 batters, while allowing only two earned runs on 11 hits in his last two games. The Yankees won both outings by an average margin of six runs, indicating that they swing their bats confidently when Weathers is on his game.

What sets Weathers apart from Warren is that the former has far more MLB bullpen experience. The former 2018 first-rounder is 2-3 with a 3.77 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 31 innings across 15 all-time relief appearances, with his most recent bullpen outing occurring in 2023. He also made nine relief appearances during his time in the Padres' minor-league system.

It's that experience that could make all the difference when it's time for Boone to make his decision.

Verdict: Ryan Weathers is likelier to leave Yankees' rotation

New York Yankees pitcher Ryan Weathers against the Chicago Cubs during spring training at Sloan Park. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Although Warren could be a potentially solid innings-eater out of the bullpen, Weathers is more likely to be declared a relief arm by the Yankees.

Not only does Weathers have more experience as a reliever compared to Warren, but his lack of long-term starting experience could also come into play. The Loretto, TN native hasn't pitched more than 94 2/3 innings in a season, which came in his rookie year, and is more than a third of the way to match that this season. He's averaging nearly 5 2/3 innings per appearance, putting him on pace to play nearly 170 frames if he reaches the 30-start mark.

The Yankees won't want Weathers to pitch his way into an injury, which is why they could favor keeping Warren in the rotation. That isn't to say that the former will lose his job permanently, as he can always rejoin the mix if Rodón and/or Cole struggle to look like their old selves.

Any major pitching shifts won't happen until Rodón and Cole return, leaving plenty of time to alter Boone and Blake's minds. Still, that likely won't change the fact that, if the Yankees are gearing up to move someone from the starting rotation to the bullpen, it will likely be Weathers over Warren.