Spring training records are not supposed to mean anything, and yet the New York Yankees keep piling them up anyway. With a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, New York improved to 8-2 on the Grapefruit League season, the kind of start that at minimum tells you this roster is paying attention and competing from the first pitch.
The story of the afternoon belonged to the pitching, specifically to a starter who made it easy to forget this is still February.
Warren Sets the Table
Will Warren did not waste anyone’s time. The right-hander went 3.2 innings, allowing just one hit, zero runs, and three strikeouts. Warren is firmly cemented at the back of the rotation, notably serving as an innings-eater with upside. He was not overpowering on Sunday, but he was precise, and at this stage of the spring, that matters more than any velocity readings.
The handoff from Warren got a little bumpy in spots. Cade Winquest allowed a run in his two-thirds of an inning, and Michael Arias had a rough final frame, giving up two earned runs to close out the game and push his spring ERA to 9.00 this spring.
The bright spot on the relief side was Ben
|Hess, who picked up the win with two clean innings, striking out one and allowing just a single. His spring ERA now sits at 1.80. Among the non-roster arms competing for a late-inning role, Hess is quietly putting together a compelling argument.
Nine Hits, Five Runs, No Drama
The Yankees’ offense did the job without a highlight-reel moment. New York collected nine hits and drew just two walks, but spread the damage around enough to hold the lead throughout the afternoon. Five different players crossed the plate: Duke Ellis, J.C. Escarra, Jorbit Vivas, Miguel Palma, and Yanquill Fernandez all contributed runs.
Fernandez went 1-for-2 with a run and an RBI. Palma matched that line exactly, going 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI as well. These are roster fringe players, but seeing what they can offer in the minors for a rainy day is never a bad idea.
The Phillies’ offense was largely neutralized until reliever Zach Pop imploded in his team’s bullpen frame, allowing three hits and four runs in just two-thirds of an inning. Bryson Stott hit the only home run of the game for Philadelphia, a solo shot that barely dented the scoreline. The Phillies will be a different team when their regulars are fully locked in for the season, but Sunday belonged to New York from the opening inning.
What It Means
Eight wins in ten games does not guarantee anything come April. The roster questions that will matter most, specifically rotation depth beyond the top three, bullpen configuration, and how the outfield competition shakes out, remain genuinely open. But a spring record like 8-2 is not nothing either.
It reflects a cultural tone inside camp: a commitment to execution, real pitching depth across the staff, and fringe players making the right decisions. The Yankees are building habits right now.
They return to action on March 4 against the Red Sox.