There’s a fine line between patience and denial. And right now, the Yankees are walking it with two arms they hoped wouldn’t break.
On Sunday, the New York Yankees dropped a tough 7–5 game to the Tampa Bay Rays, and while the offense fought late, the pitching set the tone early — and not in a good way.
Rookie starter Will Warren once again flashed promise and problems in equal measure. The mix is becoming too familiar.
A performance full of strikeouts, stress, and short breaths
Warren lasted just 4.2 innings, giving up seven hits, three earned runs, and three walks on 102 total pitches.
Yes, he struck out eight, but only 62 of those pitches were strikes, leaving the bullpen with another early mess.
His ERA now sits at 5.65 — a number that reflects not just inconsistency, but growing concern.
The flashes are there, but like a flickering lightbulb, they aren’t giving the Yankees much to count on.
Carrasco’s struggles add fuel to the fire
Carlos Carrasco followed Warren and didn’t fare much better, allowing five hits and two earned runs in relief.
The veteran presence hasn’t helped much this season, and at 37, he’s more stopgap than solution.
It’s becoming painfully clear that neither Carrasco nor Warren should be in the rotation, but injury chaos has left the Yankees boxed in.
Right now, it’s survival mode — and the band-aids are beginning to peel off.
Under the hood, Warren’s metrics are a mixed bag
Warren’s four-seam fastball remains his best weapon, allowing just a .138 average and .207 slugging against.
He ranks in the 73rd percentile in whiff rate and 62nd in ground ball rate — encouraging signs.
But the hard contact is killing him.
He’s allowing a 50.7% hard-hit rate and an 11.9% barrel rate, ranking just 19th percentile league-wide in damage contact.
His sweeper and changeup are getting hammered, batting averages of .360 and .263 against those offerings tell the story.
Cashman may have no choice but to act soon
General manager Brian Cashman can’t afford to ignore the growing hole in the rotation much longer.
Leaning on Warren and Carrasco is becoming a losing strategy, and it’s beginning to affect momentum and morale.
While Warren offers more upside at age 25, his confidence is hanging by a thread — and overexposing him could do long-term damage.
The next man up may offer hope
If the Yankees are looking for a fresh spark, Allan Winans might be the next name they turn to.
The 29-year-old right-hander is posting a perfect 0.00 ERA over 14 innings in Triple-A and might be ready for his shot.
That kind of dominance — even in a small sample — looks a lot more appealing than the current cycle of damage control.
And the Yankees, running out of rope, may soon be forced to grab it.
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