The Yankees are back in action today on the last sabbath before baseball stats start to matter again. The Bombers take on the Phillies in the final spring training game of the year at GMS Field in Tampa, and dare we label this one a potential pitching duel?

Will Warren gets the ball for New York, and he has quietly become one of the most intriguing storylines in camp. This spring, Warren owns a 1.77 ERA with 16 strikeouts, continuing to build momentum as he pushes to solidify his role. The raw stuff has never really been in question, but what has stood out is how consistent it has looked from start to start.

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Fans are buying the early results from Warren. Whether it is the mechanical tweaks or the shift of position on the rubber, there is a growing belief that Warren may be taking that next step.

Because that is what separates arms at this level. Consistency and the ability to competitively eat innings is what turns a depth arm into a major league rotation piece.

Warren entered camp needing to prove he could be trusted in meaningful innings, and so far, he has done exactly that. If this version holds, he should be able to help stabilize the rotation early as the Yankees wait for reinforcements to arrive.

On the other side, Aaron Nola presents a very different kind of storyline. The Phillies’ right-hander returns from the international stage after pitching for Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic. Nola was excellent in the tournament, highlighted by five scoreless innings against Mexico as Italy advanced through pool play.

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That outing was more than just a spring highlight. It came with improved velocity and sharp command, signs that Nola may be trending back toward the form that made him one of the most reliable starters in the game. That impressive performance was followed up with four innings of one-run ball against the eventual tournament champion Venezuela in the semifinals.

The momentum has carried into camp, where Nola looks like the steady veteran the Phillies have leaned on for years. For a pitcher like him, this part of the spring is usually about fine-tuning, but the added workload from the WBC suggests he may already be a step ahead.

The Yankees lineup today is the starters minus Austin Wells, so very much a lineup and order we should expect to see a few times over the next few months. Rolling Jazz Chisholm Jr. and José Caballero in the six-seven spots in the lineup should make the bottom of the order quite the headache for Nola and the rest of the Phillies staff if they are able to find their way onto the basepaths.

So the questions for today: Will Will Warren keep his momentum rolling in his final spring tune-up? And how will the Yankees’ bats look against a veteran arm ready for the real thing?

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Real baseball is almost back!

Location: George M. Steinbrenner Field — Tampa, FL
First pitch: 1:05 ET

TV broadcast:

Phillies: NBC Sports Philadelphia

National: MLB Network (out-of-market only)

Radio broadcast:

Online stream: Gotham Sports App

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