How Aaron Judge helped Will Warren continue MLB ascension for Yankees

TL;DR

Will Warren has been a standout for the New York Yankees' starting rotation despite recent team struggles. His improvement this season is partly attributed to support from Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton during the offseason.

How Aaron Judge helped Will Warren continue MLB ascension for Yankees originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Yankees have had some issues lately, with the team's hot start all but eliminated with a losing skid that has New York at 8-7.

But, there has been one main positive so far this season, and it's been the starting rotation. Even with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon out, the Yankees' rotation has been pitching well. A big reason for that has been Will Warren and his continued ascension after 2025.

As Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic noted, Warren's rise this season has happened for a few reasons, one of which is the help of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton over the offseason.

How Aaron Judge helped Will Warren continue MLB rise

"Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton mentioned to Warren early in the spring that his stuff was sharper from the third-base side, giving the pitcher the confidence to keep going," Rosenthal writes.

The Yankees were experimenting with Warren pitching from the third-base side of the pitcher's mound this spring. While he'd been pitching from the first base side for a while, this experiment was one worth giving a go.

And as Rosenthal noted, the Yankees found success with Warren making this change. Since making this change, thanks to the confirmation from Judge and Stanton, Warren has looked good.

More: Shohei Ohtani deemed more valuable than Aaron Judge in recent ESPN discussion piece

So far in 2026, Warren has a 3.07 ERA with 14 strikeouts and a 1-0 record in three starts. While he's yet to have a quality start, make it through six innings, or not allow a run, his overall production has been good enough to be happy with.

There's more room to grow for Warren, but the early-season results so far have been good enough to be encouraged by.

The Yankees' 26-year-old righty had a 4.44 ERA in 33 starts last year, and barring some bad starts, he looks ready to have a truly great season in 2026 in his second full season with the Yankees in the Majors.

Warren's rise isn't thanks to Judge, but the input from the multi-time MVP definitely helped convince Warren to make the change. And so far, so good for the young Yankees righty.

More MLB news:

Q&A

How has Aaron Judge influenced Will Warren's performance in 2023?

Aaron Judge has provided mentorship and support to Will Warren during the offseason, contributing to Warren's successful rise in the Yankees' starting rotation.

What challenges are the New York Yankees facing this season?

The Yankees are currently struggling with a losing streak, which has left their record at 8-7, despite a strong performance from their starting rotation.

Who are the key players missing from the Yankees' rotation?

Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon are currently out, yet the Yankees' rotation has been performing well, with Will Warren emerging as a key contributor.