The New York Yankees have cruised out to a 22-11 record so far this season, and a big reason for their success has been the performance of their starting rotation. Even with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon both beginning the season on the injured list, the Yanks have received stellar outings from their starters on a near-daily basis.
A key piece of the starting rotation to this point has been Will Warren, who is building off a strong 2025 campaign. Warren has looked like a stud through his first seven starts, but with Cole and Rodon close to returning, he knows his role could change in the near future. After his latest start, though, he made it abundantly clear that he wants to remain in the starting rotation moving forward.
Will Warren Gets Brutally Honest on Yankees Starting Rotation
Warren made 33 starts in 2025, but he wasn’t exactly consistent, as he finished with a 4.44 ERA during his time on the mound. Had Cole and Rodon both been healthy entering the year, Warren may not have even factored into manager Aaron Boone’s initial starting rotation, but he earned a spot with both guys out, and he’s been dominant.
Through seven starts, Warren has a 4-0 record with 46 strikeouts and a sparkling 2.39 ERA. Even with guys like Max Fried and Cam Schlittler commanding attention atop the rotation, Warren has played a big role when it comes to holding things together until the rest of the pitching staff, namely Cole and Rodon, get healthy.
Now that they are close to returning, Boone is going to have some tough decisions to make. He already had to make one with Luis Gil, who was optioned to Triple-A last week, and somebody else is going to have to get bumped to the bullpen once Cole and Rodon return. Warren is well aware of the predicament Boone faces, but it doesn’t sound like he has much interest in giving up his spot in the starting rotation.
“I think we’re gonna have the best staff in all of baseball when they come back,” Warren said when discussing the Yankees’ starting rotation after his latest start. “The best pitchers are gonna pitch the majority of the innings, so I just gotta make sure I keep going out there and doing my job.”
What Should Aaron Boone Do with the Yankees Starting Rotation?
GettyARLINGTON, TEXAS – APRIL 29: Manager Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees walks to home plate during a game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on April 29, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Cole and Rodon are obviously both going to be used as starters once they return, and Fried and Schlittler aren’t getting moved either. That has left Warren competing with Gil and Ryan Weathers for the final spot in the rotation, but as noted above, Gil is already out of the running. Weathers, on the other hand, has also enjoyed a strong start to the season (2-2, 3.03 ERA, 45 K, 1.19 WHP), with Warren’s numbers being slightly better than his.
Boone could employ a six-man rotation to help ease Cole and Rodon into the action, but it seems more likely that either Warren or Weathers will slot into a long relief role once they return. Warren has been marginally better so far this season, and Weathers has experience coming out of the bullpen from earlier in his career. It’s a tough decision either way, but Boone would be hard-pressed to change anything up with Warren based on how good he’s been so far this year.
Yankees’ Will Warren Eyes Holding Rotation Spot as Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón Loom