The New York Yankees haven’t even reached the winter meetings, and already one of their top starters is headed for the injured list. Carlos Rodon, who quietly turned in one of his best seasons in pinstripes, underwent surgery to remove loose bodies and shave down a bone spur immediately after the team’s playoff exit.
It wasn’t the offseason headline the Yankees wanted, but it was hardly a surprise. Anyone watching closely could tell Rodon was laboring late in the year. His fastball lost life — dipping from 95.4 mph in 2024 to 94.1 — and his command began to waver. It turns out there was a real reason behind it.
Cashman confirms Rodon will start 2026 on the injured list
General manager Brian Cashman addressed the situation during his end-of-season press conference, confirming that Rodon will open next year on the IL.
“I’ll be honest: I don’t know,” Cashman admitted when asked for a timeline. “Certainly, the last two years have been really good for us with Carlos. He’s done a great job. Unfortunately, with surgery to get some cleanup on that, it’ll have you start the season late. So he’ll start the season on the IL.”
Cashman later clarified that Rodon is expected to return “either sometime in April or early May, at the latest,” assuming his recovery stays on track.
For a team that’s been burned by pitching injuries before, that’s both a relief and a familiar worry. The Yankees can’t afford another slow start in the standings because of a depleted rotation — not after what happened this year after their mid-season collapse.
A strong 2025 gives reason for optimism
Despite the late-season decline, Rodon’s overall performance was a bright spot. He posted a 3.09 ERA across 29 starts with 9.35 strikeouts per nine innings, a 76.4% left-on-base rate, and a 43.5% ground ball rate. It was his best season since signing with New York, one that reminded fans why the Yankees invested so heavily in his arm.
He’s under contract through 2028, and when healthy, he gives the Yankees a legitimate No. 2 option behind Gerrit Cole. The surgery — while inconvenient — could help Rodon recapture some of his lost velocity and sharpen his stuff by midseason.
The next wave of Yankees arms will have to step up
In the meantime, the Yankees will need to patch together their rotation early in 2026. Gerrit Cole is expected back at some point next season after his own injury, but it’s the younger arms who will carry the load at first.
Cam Schlittler could be ready for a larger role, while Will Warren continues to fight for consistency at the big-league level. Prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz has also turned heads with his raw stuff, offering a glimpse of what could be a future cornerstone.
The Yankees have built enough pitching depth to survive this setback — at least on paper. But until Rodon returns to full strength, every start will feel like a balancing act. For a rotation that was supposed to be the team’s strength, the 2026 season may begin like a marathon that starts uphill.