The Yankees' starting rotation to begin the regular season is set.
Pitching prospect Will Warren will join non-roster invitee Carlos Carrasco to round out the club’s starting staff as the Yankees move forward with multiple starters on the injured list.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone delivered the news to Warren on Sunday morning.
“I came into camp with that as the goal,” Warren said after the Yankees' 3-3 tie with the Rays on Sunday. “To hear it from Boonie’s mouth was super exciting.”
The plan is for Warren to pitch Game 4 of the season against the Diamondbacks, per Boone. Here’s how the Yankees' rotation will look to start the season, beginning on Thursday at Yankee Stadium:
Game 1 (March 27): Carlos Rodón vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Game 2 (March 29): Max Fried vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Game 3 (March 30): Marcus Stroman vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Game 4 (April 1): Will Warren vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Game 5 (April 2): TBD
Carrasco could get the ball in Game 5, Boone said. He could also make his Yankees debut in Game 6 or 7. With the off days during that first homestand, the Yankees have flexibility. Rodón would be lined up to pitch on six days rest in Game 5, so don’t be surprised if he starts that game against Arizona.
For Warren, this well-deserved opportunity comes after a strong performance in Grapefruit League play. He came into camp with his sights set on making the team, pitching well enough to earn this opportunity, but he had some help along the way as well with Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt all getting hurt.
Cole will miss the entire season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Gil is out for three-plus months with a high-grade lat strain and Schmidt won’t begin the year on time due to the recent shoulder setback he had.
“Excited about him and his future,” Boone said of Warren. “Like the strides he’s made. I think last year he flashed it all. We saw glimpses of it. Took his lumps too. I think it’s improved over the winter. Has improved this spring. And he’s earned this opportunity.”
Boone has an idea of what the rest of the Yankees' 26-man roster will look like, but he’s waiting to tell certain players because of the possibility of moves in these next four days.
“I think we know who we’re going to go with,” Boone said. “Industry-wise, things can still happen that you never know over the next couple of days. There’s always that possibility that changes things, otherwise pretty close.”
The Yankees have a few vacancies in their bullpen and the bench hasn’t been officially finalized yet either. Backup catcher J.C. Escarra was told that he made the club by Boone on Saturday.
