Some teams build great rotations over time. Others stumble into one. And then there are organizations like the Yankees, who might be on the verge of assembling one of the deepest and most dangerous starting staffs in baseball if their health breaks right in 2026. The blueprint was in place for 2025, but early injuries tore the plan apart before the season even began.
Now, with better health on the horizon and a wave of young talent emerging, the Yankees suddenly look positioned to field a rotation that could overwhelm opponents from April through October.
Gerrit Cole’s return sets the tone for the entire unit
The conversation starts with Gerrit Cole. The Yankees lost him to Tommy John surgery in spring training, a blow that reshaped the entire season. Clarke Schmidt suffered the same fate months later, leaving the club scrambling for innings and forced to lean on Marcus Stroman and Carlos Carrasco until both were eventually moved.
The difference between Cole and Stroman is significant, to say the least.
Cole will be 35 next year, but the optimism around his recovery is real. He’s on schedule, progressing well, and should return within the first two months of the 2026 season. The Yankees know it may take half a season for him to regain his vintage form, but even a partial version of Cole stabilizes the entire rotation.
Schmidt should also return during the back half of the year, giving the Yankees a much-needed depth boost once he completes his own recovery timeline.
Carlos Rodón’s bounce-back adds another layer of upside
Carlos Rodón, who underwent elbow surgery this offseason, won’t be available on Opening Day either. But the Yankees expect him back, and when he’s healthy, he’s still one of the best left-handers in the sport. His 2025 season — 3.09 ERA across 195.1 innings — was his strongest as a Yankee. The playoffs were rough, but the organization believes his late-season injury played a major role in the dip.
Rodón remains one of the rotation’s swing pieces. If he returns to full strength alongside Cole, the Yankees have two frontline-caliber arms before they even factor in their new ace.
Max Fried became the anchor the Yankees needed
Signing Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million deal immediately paid off. The 30-year-old delivered a first-team All-MLB season, posting a 2.86 ERA over 195.1 innings with an 8.71 K/9 and a 52.4 percent ground-ball rate. He gave the Yankees exactly what they lacked — a true workhorse who could dominate deep into games and steady the rotation when injuries struck.
Fried projects to lead the staff again in 2026, and pairing him with a healthy Cole and Rodón could give the Yankees one of the strongest top threes in baseball.
The youth movement is changing the shape of the Yankees’ future
The most exciting component might be the young core behind the veterans. Cam Schlittler became a breakout star at 24 years old, carrying a 2.96 ERA across 73 innings in his rookie year. But it was his postseason — a 1.26 ERA in 14.1 innings — that elevated him from intriguing prospect to potential frontline weapon.
His easy, explosive delivery touches triple digits and plays beautifully against MLB hitters. The Yankees see ace potential, and it’s hard to argue otherwise based on early returns.
Will Warren also played a big role, posting a 4.44 ERA over 162.1 innings. He flashes dominance at times but needs more consistency. Even so, he profiles as a legitimate back-end starter with room to grow.
Luis Gil, meanwhile, remains one of the most talented but volatile options. His 3.32 ERA across 57 innings shows promise, but erratic command generates trouble. If he sharpens the strike-throwing, he could rise quickly through the depth chart.
The potential addition of Tatsuya Imai would give the Yankees an elite problem
Free agency could push the rotation from strong to overwhelming. Japanese standout Tatsuya Imai, who posted a 1.92 ERA over 163.2 JPPL innings last season, is firmly on the Yankees’ radar. His seamless delivery and deep pitch mix fit perfectly with the organization’s developmental model.
If the Yankees land him, they suddenly have the flexibility to consider trades involving their young arms — a luxury most teams can only dream about.
A rotation that could overwhelm opponents in 2026
Picture this group when healthy: Cole, Fried, Rodón, Schlittler, Imai, Warren, and Gil. That’s seven legitimate starting-caliber pitchers, including multiple frontline arms, playoff-tested veterans, and young power arms capable of taking over games.
If even five of them hit their stride at the same time, the Yankees will enter 2026 with a rotation that doesn’t just look good on paper — it looks terrifying.