Will Warren dominates with tone-setting start in Yankees' 5-3 spring training win at Phillies

The Yankees improved to 8-2 with a 5-3 spring training win Sunday at the Philadelphia Phillies' BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla.

Takeaways

1. Will Warren started fast and finished strong. He struck out the side -- Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto and Alec Bohm -- in the first inning on his way to 3.2 scoreless innings frames with one hit, which was Rafael Marchán's one-out double in the third. Warren, who threw 33 strikes on 50 pitches, has allowed one run on five hits through his first two spring training starts of 2026. He has struck out seven and walked none.
2. Trent Grisham was hitless in his two at-bats, but he made a second-inning snag that reminds of why the Yankees value him so highly. Batting leadoff and starting in center field, Grisham's one-out grab robbed Bryson Stott of a potential double to the gap and kept Warren humming along.
3. J.C. Escarra was a bright spot for the Yankees, whose starters were hitless through four innings against the Phillies' arms of starter Andrew Painter and relievers José Alvarado and Tanner Banks. New York's sixth-batting starting catcher picked up Ryan McMahon's leadoff strikeout in the fifth inning, tagging Jonathan Bowlan for a one-out double and coming home moments later via Seth Brown's two-out single, putting the Yankees on the board at 1-0. Escarra's 3-for-8 spring includes one home run, two RBI and four runs scored in three games.

4. Jasson Domínguez's 0-for-3 afternoon out of the third spot in the batting order felt like a missed opportunity. He did have a successful ABS challenge, overturning a strike up in the zone to a ball, but his eventual strikeout swinging -- Painter's only punchout in two innings -- was a lowlight result.

Who's the MVP?

Warren, whose nearly four shutout frames set the tone as the Yankees' bats -- eventually their non-starters later in the game -- came alive for the spring training win.

Highlights

3 up. 3 down.

Warren struck out the side in the 1st 👊 pic.twitter.com/OQUo5hb4dd

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 1, 2026

Grish has got it 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4ohkqJOsJC

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 1, 2026

A defensive gem from Lombard Jr. to Rice 💎 pic.twitter.com/4rebTbXsRk

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 1, 2026

Brown brings in Escarra 👏 pic.twitter.com/Z6WQ5HRNqD

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 1, 2026

McMahon makes it look easy. pic.twitter.com/vcfTR23C4k

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 1, 2026

What's next

The Yankees host Panama in Tuesday's 1:05 p.m. game.