Will Warrens calm approach to Yankees fifth-starter battle comes from last years setback

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees from spring training PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla.— Will Warren may say some variation of “one day at a time” until he is red in the face — or at least until the Yankees make a decision on who their fifth starter will be to begin the season. There is good reason for that. Last March, Warren was in the same position that he is now: fighting for the last spot in the Yankees rotation because of an injury to Gerrit Cole.

Except then, he was riding the roller coaster of emotions with each start he made, which may have ultimately backfired.He put together a strong spring and still lost out to Luis Gil, remembering Saturday about being “pretty upset” when he got that news ahead of Opening Day. “I feel like last year, I kind of let that dwindle and that’s probably why I didn’t have as great of success as I would have liked to the whole year,” said Warren, who pitched to a 5.93 ERA in 23 starts at Triple-A and a 10.32 ERA in six games of spot duty with the Yankees. A year later, Warren is not taking the bait.

Unlike his friends and family, he insists he is not wondering if each passing start is inching him that much closer to breaking camp with the team. The 25-year-old right-hander knows well enough by now that there are factors beyond his reach that could determine whether he wins the fifth starter job, though he is doing just about everything in his control to push the issue. “Obviously a lot’s transpired over the last two weeks,” Warren said, referring to Cole undergoing Tommy John surgery and Luis Gil being diagnosed with a high-grade lat strain that will sideline him at least until June. “You can’t ride that roller coaster; it’s going to drive you crazy,” he added.“If you can stay neutral and put your best foot forward every time you take the mound, good things are going to happen.” The l...