The New York Yankees are off to an uneven 19-15 start. While the Bronx Bombers are at least two games up on everyone in the American League East, this squad has not looked like the championship-caliber roster it was expected to be so far. Much of that has to do with the inconsistencies in the starting pitching rotation.
Newest ace Max Fried has been a Cy Young frontrunner so far with a 6-0 record and a staggering 1.01 ERA. But outside of Fried, there’s a whole lot of uncertainty. One of the starters who has struggled significantly out of the gate is Will Warren. The 25-year-old has a long career ahead of him, but 1-2 with a 5.65 ERA is not going to cut it for this franchise.
During Warrren’s poor performance against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, Yankees insider Bryan Hoch revealed who the organization's next call-up would be at this position.
“Ugly performance here," Hoch said. “By the way, if the Yankees were to call up a starting pitcher, Allan Winans is next on the depth chart.”
Winans is a 29-year-old veteran who has primarily made his living in the minors. The Bakersfield, California native made his MLB debut for the Atlanta Braves in 2023 and has recorded a 7.20 ERA in eight appearances. Winans has not given up an earned run in his three, Triple-A starts this season. The Yankees claimed the right-hander off waivers this past January.
Overall, the reigning Pennant winners must piece together a competent pitching staff to be a realistic contender. Fortunately, 2024 Rookie of the Year, Lucas Gil, is inching closer to his season debut, which will be a significant boost to the roster.
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That being said, the Yankees will likely pursue a trade at some point this season to shore up this rotation. Unless some players show some significant improvement, it can’t go on like this.
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