By Eric Katz
Despite not having Gerrit Cole or Carlos Rodon, the New York Yankees starting rotation has
been fantastic through the first month of the season. Thanks in part to Max Fried, Cam
Schlittler, Ryan Weathers, and Will Warren, the rotation has been one of the best in the league
this season. However, with Cole and Rodon set to return this season, New York has a tough
choice to make on who their fifth starter will be. It’ll mean that despite Weathers and Warren
pitching well so far this season, one of them will either be optioned down to the minor leagues
or work out of the bullpen. The Yankees have a tasty decision coming up.
During spring training, it was announced that veteran starters Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon
would miss the beginning of the season. Cole was still recovering from having Tommy John
surgery and Rodon had elbow surgery for the second year in a row. Even as recently as early
April, Rodon’s throwing program was delayed due to hamstring tightness. The team later
decided to option Luis Gil down to the minors and open with a four-man starting rotation. It
consisted of Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Ryan Weathers, and Will Warren. Gil would later rejoin
the big club in mid-April.
Despite not having Gerrit Cole or Carlos Rodon, the Yankees’ starting rotation has been very
successful. As a unit, they currently lead the American League in earned run average (3.16),
fielding independent pitching (2.57), and walks and hits per inning pitched (1.11). Individually,
Max Fried leads the American League in innings pitched at 41.1 and Cam Schlittler currently
tops in WHIP at 0.729.
Outside of Fried and Schlittler, the rest of the rotation has been having success as well. Before
recently going on paternity leave, Ryan Weathers was 1-2 with a 3.18 ERA, 36 strikeouts, and a
WHIP of 1.235. Will Warren has so far shown tremendous growth and is currently 2-0 with a
2.49 ERA, 31 strikeouts, and a WHIP of 1.105. After a rough couple of starts, Luis Gil recently
had his best outing of the season, going 6.1 innings and completely shutting down the Boston
Red Sox.
Recently, Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon have gone on rehab assignments. They are both getting
close to being ready to take the mound again for the bombers. When Cole and Rodon return,
the Yankees’ starting rotation will change. Fried isn’t being paid to pitch out of the bullpen and
Schlittler has firmly secured a rotation spot. This means that, despite pitching well, either Will
Warren or Ryan Weathers is vulnerable. While in theory, the Yankees could move to a six-man
rotation like the Dodgers, the team hasn’t been willing to do it.
This is an incredibly tough decision for Manager Aaron Boone. None of them has done anything
that would warrant them to lose their spot in the starting rotation. On any other team, they’d
be rotation locks. Unfortunately for Will Warren and Ryan Weathers, it comes down to it being
a numbers game, and only one will be able to stay. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon are
accomplished starters, making a combined $63 million per season. No matter how well Warren
and Weathers pitch, Cole and Rodon aren’t going anywhere.
Meanwhile, the Yankees do have some flexibility with both young pitchers. If the team is
interested in keeping Will Warren and Ryan Weathers stretched out as starters, they both have
minor league options. Warren has two, while Weathers has one. There is also talk about
moving one of the pitchers to the bullpen. The one advantage Will Warren might have over
Ryan Weathers is that he’s a homegrown arm and has been having success. However, when the
team acquired Weathers from the Miami Marlins, the team gave up four prospects. New York
also has yet to use any of Warren’s minor league options. This is going to be a fun in-season
battle to watch.
So far this season, Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Ryan Weather, Will Warren, and Luis Gil are having
success. However, with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon getting ready to return, the starting
rotation is about to change. While it hasn’t been said publicly, Will Warren and Ryan Weathers
will be battling in-season for the final rotation spot. Whoever is the odd man out will either be
moved to the bullpen or demoted to Triple-A. This is going to be a fun in-season competition to
watch and the Yankees have a tasty decision on their hands.
