The New York Yankees' pitching plans may have just taken a sharp turn.
New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon is nearing a return from an elbow injury that has kept him sidelined since late June, and the Yankees are facing a major decision for when he does actually return.
Right now, Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Will Warren and Ryan Weathers comprise New York's starting rotation. The general consensus has long been that Weathers will end up going to the bullpen once everyone is healthy, but things may have changed.
Thanks to a recent adjustment that featured more offspeed pitches and breaking stuff and less fastballs, Weathers has been on quite a run recently. He hasn't allowed a run in either of his last two starts, and four of his last five outings have been terrific.
His ERA has now dipped to 3.79 on the season, and he owns a very respectable 3.65 FIP and 9.8 K/9. Yes, the 8.7 percent barrel rate is concerning, but we're talking about a No. 5 starter. You're taking those results every time.
Warren, on the other hand, has been a different story.
New York Yankees pitcher Will Warren. Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images.The right-hander surrendered three runs on seven hits over 5.1 innings of work on Wednesday night, and he now lays claim to a 4.18 ERA on the campaign. His 1.368 WHIP is alarming, as is his 9.4 H/9. What's more, his xERA is 4.52.
Warren's results really aren't much different from last year's, but if you remember, that resulted in the 27-year-old being sent to the bullpen for the playoffs.
Could the former top prospect head to the pen a bit earlier in 2026?
Suddenly, it's Warren — not Weathers — whose job may be on the line, and he knows it, too. That's why he recently stated that he does not really know what his future holds in terms of his future in the rotation.
The Yankees will be getting Clarke Schmidt back soon, as well, and Schmidt will obviously be joining the bullpen. That means both Warren and Schmidt — two of New York's former top farmhands — could be transitioning into relief roles soon (remember: Schmidt did pitch out of the pen earlier in his career).
For Warren, though, it's a disappointing development considering just how good he was early on in the season and how much promise the Yanks felt he had.
That's not to say that Warren doesn't still have value. He absolutely does, and who knows? With his stuff, he could turn into a dynamite late-inning arm.
But the chances of Warren actually developing into the frontline starter the Yankees were initially hoping for now seem slim to none.
