Will Warren Proud of Availability as He Prepares for 30th Start
Yankees right-hander leads the majors in starts and credits a season of steady work and lessons learned from rough outings
Will Warren is scheduled to make his 30th start of the season on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers, the most starts of any pitcher in the major leagues, a mark the New York Yankees right-hander said he takes pride in during his first full big-league season.
"I think that’s the goal for all of us, to be available every five days," Warren said. "Being my first full season [in the majors], I pride myself on that. I try to do everything I can for four days to get ready for the fifth day and give us a chance to win."
Warren has had some rough outings this year but has been largely effective of late. After allowing eight runs at Toronto on July 2, which pushed his ERA to 5.02, Warren has posted a 3.18 ERA over his last 11 starts. The stretch has helped him move past early-season inconsistency and cement his role in the Yankees rotation.
He entered the season having spent a second straight spring training competing for the club’s No. 5 starter job, and he said his approach was simply to try to make as many starts as possible. Warren noted that, a week after the All-Star break, he found himself tied with Carlos Rodón and Max Fried for the team lead in starts, a development he described with enthusiasm.
Warren also credited struggles last season with teaching him how to recover from bad outings. He relayed that lesson to minor-league call-up Cam Schlittler after Schlittler suffered his worst big-league outing in his last appearance.
"Sometimes you go out and get your butt kicked," Warren said. "It hurts, but you take a deep breath and flush whatever happened. You have to be able to learn and move on. I told Cam, ‘That was just one time.’ I had almost an 11 ERA last year. I was getting my butt kicked left and right. But I’m never gonna lay down and die. I’m gonna keep going until I can’t any more."
Staying on the Yankees' roster all season has allowed Warren to spend daily time with veteran starters, which he said has accelerated his development. "Being around Rodón and Fried and [Gerrit] Cole every day, you can pick their minds and watch how they think and pitch," he said. "Last year, I’d come up to pitch and then be gone. Now, I can talk to them in the dugout and keep learning."
Warren’s availability has provided the Yankees with rotation stability at a time when innings and dependable starts remain valuable. With his 30th start approaching, the right-hander’s growth this season underscores both his improved performance since July and the importance he places on durability and day-to-day preparation.