All of a sudden, the New York Yankees have a desire to keep Marcus Stroman out of game action down at spring training. Is there more unspoken drama afoot? This wouldn’t be the first example of the Yankees minimizing such things, after all.

Or … are they being extra cautious with a potential asset as they prepare for a trade? And, if so, what changed between Stroman starting the spring training opener against the Rays and the dawn of a new week?

Could the shift have involved the man who followed him to the mound, a more cost-effective No. 6 starter who also might be hitting a pitching crescendo?

Yankees rookie Will Warren somehow subtracted 1.2 bWAR in just 22 2/3 innings last season, serving up mid-velocity meatballs at an impressive rate. During Friday’s action, though, he displayed a renewed high-velocity sweeper that had Stuff+ fans crooning, “Will Warren, I was unaware of your game.”

Whether Stroman is on the roster or not, you know Warren will end up serving as essential MLB depth. Clarke Schmidt’s already balky back will not be the end of the Yankees’ injury setbacks in the rotation this year. He’ll be needed regardless. Still, though, Stroman “staying back in Tampa” to throw live BP rather than starting against the Twins on Tuesday certainly feels like something, and it’s not inconceivable that Warren’s two sterling innings had a little something to do with it.

Maybe Stroman’s being kept out of the rain. Or maybe the Yankees are getting closer to an uncomfortable crunch here.

Marcus Stroman will stay back in Tampa to pitch in live BP, Aaron Boone said. Stroman had been scheduled to start tomorrow against the Twins in Fort Myers.

— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) February 24, 2025

Did Will Warren’s emergence lead to Yankees sophomore surpassing Marcus Stroman in pecking order?

And somehow, Stroman hanging back isn’t even the most peculiar story of the Yankees’ day.

Thus far, pitching depth has carried the team in the first week of camp. Though pitchers typically do report to camp ahead of the pace of the offense, this was always the grand plan, and the Yankees’ depth chart is dotted with unexpected dashes of pitching talent (from Michael Arias to Sean Boyle to JT Brubaker).

The Yankees will be able to survive with or without Stroman in a depth role. In fact, they’re hoping to survive without him. Actually executing such a thing is the tough part, though Monday’s news gave a glint of hope that something intriguing was actually on the horizon.