Yankees Rotation Depth Inventory: Is Will Warren Next Up?

Welcome back to the Yankees rotation depth inventory.

As the season enters its home stretch, the Yankees' top six starters are healthy for the first time this season. Luis Gil returned from the injured list yesterday and Clarke Schmidt is scheduled to pitch tonight for the first time since May. Given that reality, the prevailing question is how the team will fit six starters into five rotation spots for the remainder of the regular season and likely four spots in the postseason.

Still, things can change quickly. Given the risk of injury and the possibility of one of the Yankees starters being moved to the bullpen full-time to prepare for a postseason role, there's still a chance another starter will have to be called up for what will likely be a critical spot start in the final weeks of the season.

Several of the players who recently started at Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes-Barre aren't viable options. Edgar Barclay and Tanner Tully have each started more than 20 games at Triple-A, but both have ERAs over six. That goes for Josh Maciejewski, who hasn't even made it past the fifth inning all year. Then there's Yoendrys Gómez, who has only pitched about 60 times in three different stints in the Yankees' bullpen and is more of a reliever candidate. That leaves three viable options in case an injury, rotation shakeup, or schedule change requires another starter on the team. Let's look at how each of the three is doing as the Yankees enter this crucial stretch.

Will Warren

Last out, first in. Will Warren made five appearances in the Yankees' rotation from late July to late August, making 90 pitches in three of his appearances as he took on the normal workload of a starter. There's no sugarcoating the results, as the right-hander went 0-3 with a 9.55 ERA before being traded to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Still, some of his marginal numbers (4.57 FIP, 2.89 strikeout-to-walk ratio) suggest he was at least a little unlucky and not as overwhelmed as his ERA would suggest.

Just as important, Warren should be physically and mentally prepared to re-enter a rotation he just left if he's needed. The Yankees' most promising pitcher offers the most upside of the three options, and while reliability is more important in a spot start, Warren could be the easiest choice in a pinch.

Cody Poteet

After missing over two months with an injury, Cody Poteet has made four appearances in Double-A and Triple-A since mid-August. He has performed well, posting a 2.25 ERA. More importantly, Poteet has been the most successful of the Yankees' three relievers at the MLB level this year, going 3-0 in multiple appearances with the major league club and posting a 2.14 ERA.

The biggest criticism of the 30-year-old is whether he can handle a starter's workload after throwing a max of 56 pitches in his last outing. However, he had thrown just 70 pitches when he was first called up for a spot start in April, but he jumped to 77 in a masterful six-inning, one-run game in Cleveland. Especially if he can make another start where he throws deeper into the game, Poteet has the potential to once again establish himself as the Yankees' first option when it comes to breaking glass.

Thomas Pannon

The underdog of the group, Thomas Pannone, joined the Yankees in July after being released by the Cubs. The 30-year-old, who has a 5.46 ERA in 118.2 MLB innings and hasn't shown enough to remain part of the Cubs' Triple-A roster, has impressed in the Yankees' system, going 4-1 with a 2.32 ERA in 42.2 innings while allowing just four walks.

He's also in top form, having thrown 86 pitches in his last appearance. That level of performance should give the Yankees some confidence that Pannone could put together a competitive performance against an MLB opponent if needed.

With Gil and Schmidt returning to the rotation, the Yankees can hope to be stocked with starters at the major league level. However, if injury woes strike again or one of the Yankees' starters is sent back to the bullpen for an extended period, they may have to tap into their depth in Triple-A again. Warren, Poteet and Pannone offer different skill sets, but each of them has MLB experience and has performed well at times this year. Don't be surprised if any of them get a chance to impact the Yankees before the end of the regular season.