The New York Yankees finally received some good news about their 2026 pitching staff.
Left handed starter Carlos Rodón made an appearance on YES Network’s hot stove program and announced he has begun his throwing program, most recently making 30 throws from distances of 60 to 75 feet. According to Rodón, he expects to be back to the pitchers mound early on in the 2026 season (though not by Opening Day).
“I’m not sure exactly when my first start will be, but I’m hoping sooner rather than later,” he said. “Obviously it’s not going to be part of the Opening Day rotation, but hopefully it’s a few weeks. Whatever it is, I just want to be 100 percent and be able to pitch in every game that I can.”
Rodón underwent surgery at the beginning of the 2025 offseason to remove foreign bodies from his left elbow and shave down bone spurs. Now, he’s begun the throwing part of his recovery and is fired up about returning to his team.
“It’s just one of those things that just becomes part of the day when you’re pitching,” Rodón said. “There’s plenty of guys that are banged up, competing out there. There’s not much room to make an excuse. My job is to go out there and compete and eat as many innings as I can, and give my team the best chance to win.”
Will Yankees Add Another Starting Pitcher?
Good news is huge for the Yankees, who will enter the 2026 season with a banged up pitching staff if they fail to secure another starter via trade or free agency. The Pinstripes have been linked to practically every available pitcher on the market, from Detroit Tigers superstar Tarik Skubal to Miami Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara.
In addition to Rodón’s injury, both Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt suffered UCL tears and had to undergo Tommy John surgery. Cole is expected to return to pitching mid 2026, while Schmidt might miss the season entirely.
Rodón had an All-Star season in 2025, starting in 33 regular season games with an ERA of 3.09 and WHIP of 1.05 through 195.1 innings. He’ll be in good company in the starting rotation behind ace Max Fried and with rookie sensation Cam Schlittler. Even if the Yankees decide to forgo adding a starter in the offseason, their rotation will be a powerful one in 2026.
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