NEW YORK — A year ago, Will Warren was a workman. He took the ball, soaked up innings and gave the Yankees a fighting chance. He went 9-8 with a 4.44 ERA across 33 starts.
That was fine. Useful. Not brilliant.
In 2026, something clicked. Friday against Baltimore: nine strikeouts, one walk, one earned run in 6 and a third innings. The Yankees won 7-2.
Seven starts. Zero times allowing more than two earned runs. That is the most such outings in all of major league baseball.
From innings-eater to strikeout machine
In 2025, Warren averaged 7.3 strikeouts per nine innings. He was a Yankees groundball pitcher who limited walks and kept innings going. He was not a pitcher opposing lineups feared.
His 2026 Yankees numbers are built differently. Forty-six strikeouts in 37 and two-thirds innings. A K/9 rate of 11.0. Third in the AL. His ERA sits at 2.39, seventh in the AL. FIP 2.70, sixth. xFIP second. SIERA second. WHIP 1.06.
Baseball analyst Katie Sharp flagged it on Friday. Warren, Schlittler and Fried are the first Yankees trio with seven-plus starts and a sub-2.40 ERA at this point in a season.
Warren’s transformation did not happen in a vacuum. He and catcher Austin Wells spotted something before Friday’s game against Baltimore. The changeup, used rarely against left-handed hitters in 2025, was going to work.
Warren threw the pitch 12 times on Friday. Eleven went to left-handed batters. He got three whiffs. Of the three hits he allowed, only one came off a left-handed bat.
He also adapted mid-game. Early in the outing, his four-seam fastball was not going where he wanted it. His usual fastball usage rate is 43 percent. On Friday, it dropped to 32 percent. He shifted to off-speed and breaking pitches and never lost command.
Warren described the adjustment with the confidence of someone who no longer needs to rely on one pitch to get through a start.
“The ability to execute what I wanted to do wasn’t there tonight, so we kind of shifted,” Warren said. “More offspeed than I’m used to. Just being able to shift and still have confidence throwing out there and getting the results was nice, too.”
What changed from 2025 to 2026
Aaron Boone has been watching Warren since spring training and has seen the shift in real time. He spoke about it in detail after Friday’s win over Baltimore.
The key phrase from Boone is not about results. It is about trust. Warren now trusts his stuff in the zone. He does not nibble. He does not pitch around contact. He goes after hitters because he knows what his pitches do.
“We’re just talking about a young, talented guy that’s shown really good aptitude over the years, and I think a love for the craft and an expectation to be really good,” Boone said. “He’s not satisfied. For all the good he did last year, he’s not satisfied. He’s continued to lean into his strengths while also attacking some of his weaknesses. Really understanding more this year and doesn’t have to nibble as much. He trusts his stuff in the zone. He knows he can beat you in a lot of different ways.”
Warren was asked to explain the improvement himself. He pointed to game experience. His answer matched his Yankees approach on the mound.
“Another year under my belt,” Warren said. “You learn a lot out there. Talk about it in here all you want, but it’s about getting your feet wet and learning as the game goes long. Have a solid staff to ask questions and learn from. It’s a mix of that.”
The AL rankings nobody is talking about
Warren’s AL stat rankings through seven starts:
| Category | 2026 Figure | AL Rank | MLB Rank |
| ERA | 2.39 | 7th | 10th |
| FIP | 2.70 | 6th | Top 10 |
| xFIP | 2.68 | 2nd | 2nd |
| K/9 | 11.0 | 3rd | Top 5 |
| BB/9 | 1.91 | 5th | Top 10 |
| GB% | 48.8% | 9th | Top 10 |
| fWAR | 1.1 | 9th | Top 10 |
| SIERA | 3.56 | 2nd | 2nd |
| Sub-2 ER starts | 7 | 1st | 1st in MLB |
Those are top-10 Yankees numbers across every meaningful category. He leads all of baseball in starts with two or fewer earned runs. His 46 strikeouts are among the AL’s best through 32 Yankees team games.
Yet Warren remains the least-discussed Yankees starter. Schlittler draws the headlines. Fried gets the Cy Young comparisons. Cole and Rodon dominate the Yankees rotation conversation. Warren just goes out every fifth day and makes good hitters look bad.
The competition coming, and why it matters
Carlos Rodon is scheduled to pitch Tuesday in what could be his last rehab start before rejoining the Yankees rotation. Gerrit Cole is also scheduled for his fourth minor league outing Tuesday. When both return, the Yankees will have six qualified starters for five Yankees spots.
Warren knows exactly where he stands. He was asked about it after Friday’s win.
“I think we’re going to have the best staff in all of baseball when they come back,” Warren said. “And so the best pitchers are going to pitch the majority of the games. Gotta make sure that I keep going out there and doing my job.”
Warren said it without hesitation. He is not waiting for Cole or Rodon to return. He is building the Yankees case that they might have to wait on him.
What do you think? Is he the least-hyped yet most-improved Yankees star?
