Andres Chavez
New York Yankees fans spent the winter waiting for that massive, landscape-shifting move for a frontline starter that never actually materialized. Instead of a blockbuster, Brian Cashman handed us Ryan Weathers and a couple of familiar faces in Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough. It didn’t feel quite right at first, but the situation might be better than you think.
The Yankees were still able to put together a talented rotation for Opening Day. That’s all that matters. And there is help on the way, too.
Max Fried turned in that elite 2.86 ERA across nearly 200 innings last year, so he isn’t just the ace; he is the entire deck of cards while Gerrit Cole continues to work his way back from that elbow surgery. Fried has the ice-water veins and the physical profile to handle the Opening Day pressure in the Bronx, which is a job that has chewed up and spit out far more seasoned veterans. He is the undisputed floor and ceiling of this unit until the reinforcements arrive in May.
The High-Wire Act of Luis Gil
Then there is the curious case of Luis Gil, who is currently slated to take the ball for the second game of the season if we use the spring calendar as a way to predict the exact order of the staff. Last year was a nightmare for him, a total loss of the “it” factor where his FIP ballooned to a nauseating 4.63 and his ability to miss bats seemingly evaporated into the thin air of Yankee Stadium.
The good news is that the radar gun is finally starting to cooperate again this spring. He has 11 strikeouts through eight innings and an ERA sitting at 2.25, which suggests the fastball-slider combo is regaining its lethal bite. If Gil can’t find that 2024 magic, the Yankees are going to find themselves in a massive hole before the weather even warms up.
The rest of the staff is a collection of “high-upside” arms that look great at the moment. Ryan Weathers is the name everyone is circling because the Yankees apparently found a way to “unlock” his potential after the trade from Miami. He looks healthier, his mix is more balanced, he is throwing harder, and his philosophy on the mound has been completely revamped.
It’s a classic Yankees reclamation project. We’ve seen this movie before—sometimes it’s a hit, and sometimes it’s a straight-to-DVD disaster.
Youth and the Injury Bug
Cam Schlittler and Will Warren are the wild cards that will determine if this season starts with a bang or a whimper. Schlittler was a revelation last year with that 2.96 ERA in his first taste of the big leagues, but that mid-back inflammation he’s been nursing is a red flag.
Aaron Boone is already tempering expectations, admitting Schlittler won’t be fully built up for his first few starts. He is still formidable and is expected to be ready for a full starter’s workload in no time.
Will Warren, a guy who struck out 171 hitters last year but sometimes struggles with command, rounds out a very talented group.
If Warren can avoid middle-middle mistakes, his “stuff” is good enough to make him a mid-rotation staple. This entire house of cards is built on the hope that Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole actually return on schedule in April or early May.
Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn are emergency starters and, frankly, the Yankees could do a lot worse.
It is a rotation with a sky-high ceiling, but the floor is definitely up for debate. Still, you can see the unit oozes talent.
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