Yankees Spring Training Gut Reactions
A Blog by Greg
The Yankees are finishing up their last couple of weeks of spring training before the 2025 MLB season kicks off. While I haven’t analyzed every pitch and every at-bat of the Yankees’ spring training, I have watched enough to develop a few takes that I am dying to get off my chest.
The Rotation Will be Fine
The Yankees suffered two massive blows to their rotation during spring training as both Luis Gil and Gerrit Cole were diagnosed with injuries. While Gil is expected to return to the team before the All-Star break, Cole will miss the entirety of the 2025 season. A heavy burden will now be placed on veterans Max Fried and Carlos Rodon to support the pitching rotation without two key players. While Rodon has struggled thus far in his two outings, Fried has pitched decently at best in a little over 5 IP. On the other end of the spectrum, the 25-year-old Will Warren has absolutely shattered expectations. He is 3-0 in 11.2 IP, striking out 12 batters while only giving up two earned runs. While Warren’s performance has surprised many casual fans, executives around the league certainly were not shocked. Jeff Passan reported a few days ago that Will Warren drew significant interest from opposing teams during the offseason, but the Yankees refused to pull the trigger on any of the proposed deals. Now, during spring training, Warren has lived up to the hype, playing exceptionally well in his limited appearances and will certainly be in contention for a spot in the rotation come the regular season. While Warren’s performance does not make up for the losses of Cole and Gil, it is a positive sign going forward, once again proving the Yankees can produce talented pitchers from their farm system. The Yankees won’t have one of the best rotations in baseball this season like many fans hoped, but I am confident that Fried and Rodon can return to typical form during the regular season. As for Warren, I hope the Yankees give him a chance to start a few games while Gil is injured so the young right-hander can prove himself as a formidable pitcher in the big leagues.
Who is Alexander Vargas?
If you did not know who Alexander Vargas was before the 2025 Spring Training, you are certainly not alone. Vargas, a 23-year-old SS from Cuba, has been a part of the Yankees organization since 2019 but has yet to make a huge splash in the minor leagues. Over the last few years, Vargas has bounced between A and AA ball, putting up average hitting stats. Vargas was obviously overshadowed in the Yankees farm system as she unfortunately shares a position with the heavily hyped Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza. However, Vargas has outperformed both of those players during spring training. In 13 plate appearances, Vargas has 8 hits, 3 of which were home runs and 2 of which were doubles. Now, this performance doesn't mean a whole lot in the grand scope of the Yankees 2025 campaign, but it is without a doubt a fun story to track. Every time I tune into a Yankees game and see Vargas pinch hit or check the box score after the game finishes, I always find myself rooting for the young prospect. After his impressive hitting over the past few weeks, I feel obligated to keep my eye on Vargas in the minor leagues this season.
Am I Supposed to be Worried About Judge?
Short answer: No. Judge put up comparable spring training stats in 2024 and went on to win the AL MVP. Judge is no stranger to slow starts during the first month or so of the regular season, let alone a slow start in meaningless preseason games. Ignore any idiots trying to place relevance on Judge’s spring training stats.
