The New York Yankees are making their feelings clear on two of their pitchers.
The New York Yankees' starting rotation has been one of hottest topics of discussion this offseason for a variety of reasons.
First and foremost, both Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon are slated to miss the early stages of the 2026 campaign. Cole is still recovering from Tommy John surgery, and Rodon had a bone spur and loose bodies removed from his elbow.
But even once those two return, there are serious questions about the pitching staff.
We don't know how 35-year-old Cole will bounce back after having not pitched a full season since 2023, and while Rodon's procedure was not nearly as severe, it was still surgery.
Max Fried will be fine, but there are lingering questions about his ability to handle October baseball (lifetime 5.31 ERA over 22 playoff appearances). Cam Schlittler looks like a stud, but in reality, he has only made 16 total starts between regular season and playoffs.
Then, you have Luis Gil and Will Warren, both of whom have undeniable talent but also come with some clear red flags.
New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil. Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images.Gil has more than Warren in that he has an extensive injury history, control issues and saw a noticeable dip in velocity and strikeout numbers in 2025. He made just 11 starts after missing the first few months with a lat injury, averaged 6.5 strikeouts per nine innings and logged a 1.404 WHIP.
Not pretty for the 27-year-old.
Meanwhile, Warren was a very solid back-end-of-the-rotation starter for the Yankees in 2025, but it was blatantly obvious that he labored against stronger competition, which was a big reason why New York left him out of its postseason rotation.
The Yanks have expressed serious interest in both Michael King and Tatsuya Imai this winter, which can only mean one thing: they aren't entirely confident that Gil and Warren will be long-term answers in their starting rotation.
Why? Well, because when everyone is healthy, Cole, Fried, Rodon and Schlittler will comprise the top four members of the staff, and then you have either King or Imai coming in as the fifth starter. So where do Gil and Warren factor in?
A move to the bullpen has been speculated for Gil, but I'm not so sure that converting a guy with serious command issues into a reliever is the most pragmatic solution. I actually think Warren — with his nasty movement — would slot better into the pen, but he also could present the Yankees with a pretty nice trade candidate.
New York Yankees pitcher Will Warren. Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images.On top of that, New York has a ton of arms — Carlos Lagrange, Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, Bryce Cunningham, Ben Hess, etc. — in its farm system that are inching closer and closer to being big-league ready. But so long as Gil and Warren are around, there is no room for them.
Based on everything we have been hearing about the Yankees' plans this winter, it just seems hard to imagine that they view both Gil and Warren as significant parts of the team's future.
The writing seems to be on the wall for the two right-handers, both of whom — particularly the younger, healthier Warren — should be of significant interest to other ballclubs.
Of course, this all hinges on whether or not the Yankees actually add a pitcher this offseason. If they don't, then they will probably go into 2026 with both Gil and Warren on the roster. But if New York lands a top hurler? Then expect Brian Cashman to shop one — or both — pitchers.