After Gerrit Cole underwent Tommy John surgery, sidelining him for the season, Will Warren assumed a full-time starting position in the New York Yankees rotation. Despite a challenging beginning marked by a 5.65 ERA across his first seven starts, Warren has notably improved, fueled by insights gained from examining Cole’s early career struggles. This process helped Warren gain perspective during a difficult stretch in 2024.
Learning Patience Through Reflection on Pitching Careers
Warren’s difficulties began the previous season when his ERA soared to 9.55 over 21.2 innings, leading to a demotion to Triple-A. Seeking guidance, Warren reached out to former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton pitching coach Graham Johnson, who suggested an unusual exercise. Johnson asked Warren to list top pitchers in the game, including teammate Gerrit Cole and Jacob deGrom, and then review their performance metrics from their first three seasons.
By studying the early records of established front-line starters like Cole and deGrom, Warren recognized that his own early failures were part of a typical adjustment period. This realization helped him ease the pressure he placed on himself, highlighting the importance of patience for young pitchers with promising talent.
Despite ongoing struggles at the start of 2024, Warren has recently flourished, posting a 1.50 ERA and recording 26 strikeouts in 18 innings over his last three outings, including a standout 10-strikeout game against the Texas Rangers.
Promising Future Indicates Warren’s Role in Yankees Rotation
Will Warren’s current 29.7% strikeout rate ranks 14th among pitchers with at least 30 innings pitched, just behind last season’s National League Cy Young winner, Chris Sale. This level of production is exactly what the Yankees need in Cole’s absence, underscoring Warren’s value to the team this season and beyond.
While some inconsistencies may persist, Warren appears poised to become a long-term fixture in New York’s rotation. Historically, pitchers who achieve elite strikeout rates early in their careers have a strong track record of evolving into successful starters at the major league level.
Fantasy baseball players who dropped Warren after his rough start may want to reconsider; those who picked him up have potentially gained a crucial asset for the remainder of the season. His ability to maintain consistency will be key to defining his future impact.
“When young pitchers put up elite strikeout rates so early in their careers, they tend to become successful starters in the big leagues.” —Unknown