RODÓN'S BACK, BUT WHY ARE THE YANKS MESSING WITH WARREN?

Carlos Rodón is back, and that should be great news. Instead, because these are the Yankees, his return immediately turns into another episode of Who Are We Screwing With This Week?

Rodón will return Tuesday against Baltimore, and the immediate rotation squeeze appears to involve Will Warren and Ryan Weathers.

If Warren is ultimately the guy pushed aside, I don't like it.

And yes, I understand Weathers has been terrific lately. In fact, he's been downright dominant — a 0.85 ERA over his last five starts. But if I'm making the decision, I'm keeping Warren in the rotation and finding another role for Weathers.

Why?

Because at some point the Yankees need to stop jerking Will Warren around. Remember the trade deadline. Warren's name was floating around in discussions involving the Padres. Reports at the time identified him as one of the pitchers who could potentially be included in a significant package. Now Rodón returns and suddenly Warren's rotation spot is the one we're talking about again?

Maybe that's coincidence.

I don't think it is.

To me, it looks like the Yankees have soured on Warren to some degree. Why else are you willing to discuss trading the guy, then potentially make him the odd man out when the rotation gets crowded? If Warren is supposedly an important piece of your future, start treating him like one.

This is what drives me crazy about the Yankees. They develop players, hype players, defend players and then seemingly change their opinion overnight. There's no consistency. There's always some roster shuffle, some mysterious organizational preference or some Aaron Boone explanation that somehow leaves you knowing less than you did before he opened his mouth.

But here's the other side of this.

Rodón coming back could be HUGE.

Imagine walking into a postseason series and seeing Max Fried, Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón lined up.

Now THAT gets my attention. Cole is back pitching well after Tommy John surgery, Fried is Fried, and a healthy Rodón gives the Yankees three legitimate weapons at the top of that rotation. That trio could be absolute gold in October.

There is just one tiny problem. THE YANKEES STILL HAVE TO SCORE FREAKING RUNS.

That's the insanity of this team. We spend all this time debating Warren versus Weathers, celebrating Rodón's return and dreaming about Cole-Fried-Rodón in October while watching an offense that too often makes two runs feel like an offensive explosion.

You can have Koufax, Gibson and Seaver out there and it doesn't matter if your lineup can't push anybody across home plate.

So welcome back, Carlos. I'm thrilled you're here. Now somebody please tell the Yankees hitters.

Because a rotation of Fried, Cole and Rodón could win a championship.

They just can't win every game 1-0.