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Carlos Rodon

Yankees Injury Notes: Cole, Rodon, Schlittler

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The Yankees have received a handful of positive reports regarding their injured starting pitchers, most notably for ace Gerrit Cole. The 35-year-old missed all of 2025 while recovering from Tommy John surgery he underwent in March. Cole is scheduled to face hitters “in a couple weeks,” manager Aaron Boone told reporters, including Greg Joyce of the New York Post. Boone added that Cole could be back in time to pitch in Spring Training games.

Cole is less than a year removed from surgery, so Opening Day was never in play for him. The notion that he could appear in spring action is encouraging and could put him on track to only miss the first month of the season. The 60-day IL remains an option, but if there’s even a small chance Cole could be back within a couple of months, New York will likely avoid that route.

After winning the AL Cy Young in 2023, Cole missed the first half of 2024 with elbow inflammation. He returned for 17 starts to close the season. Elbow concerns popped back up heading into last year, and Cole ended up going under the knife. The veteran has three seasons left on the nine-year, $324MM deal he signed with the Yankees in 2019.

Carlos Rodon was seen playing catch with Cole at today’s spring session. The left-hander had loose bodies removed from his elbow shortly after the 2025 campaign ended. The expectation is that Rodon could return before the end of April. Boone told reporters the lefty is “probably not far behind from the start of the season.”

Rodon recently said he was back throwing eight weeks after his surgery, adding that his mobility is much improved following the procedure. The 33-year-old made a career-high 33 starts this past season. He earned an All-Star bid and finished sixth in AL Cy Young voting, though a rough postseason brought a sour end to his year. Rodon was knocked around for nine earned runs in his two playoff outings.

 

The lone negative revelation from Thursday was that right-hander Cam Schlittler was managing what was initially described as mid-back inflammation. The young righty took to social media to clarify that it’s a left lat issue. “It’s early, so I just want to make sure I’m on top of it,” Schlittler told reporters, including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.

Schlittler took a July callup and ran with the opportunity, providing a sub-3.00 ERA across his first 14 big-league starts. He garnered national attention in the postseason. Schlittler delivered eight scoreless innings in a win over Boston in the ALDS. He came through with a quality start against Toronto in the ALCS, though New York lost the game (and the series).

On the hitting side, shortstop Anthony Volpe is scheduled to begin his hitting progression before the end of February. The infielder is recovering from torn labrum surgery. “He is doing well,” Boone told reporters. “Strength is all there in the weight room and stuff like that. He’s got all that back. That’s the thing that took a little while. His range of motion is tremendous.”

Volpe had surgery in early October. Early reports were that he wouldn’t be able to hit for four months. The club has said Volpe will open the season on the IL. Jose Caballero is expected to handle shortstop until Volpe is ready to return.

Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel and Brad Penner, Imagn Images

Poll: How Will The Yankees’ Rotation Fare In 2026?

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Much has been made of the Yankees’ apparent offseason strategy of “running it back.” While retaining Trent Grisham and especially Cody Bellinger surely count as successes, some fans were hoping for more tangible improvements. Aaron Judge will be 34 in April, and there are only so many years left in his prime (at least as a perennial MVP candidate). The Blue Jays, Orioles, and Red Sox have all upgraded their rosters, meaning the Yankees will have their work cut out for them in 2026.

One area with a range of potential outcomes is the rotation. The group performed quite well in 2025, placing eighth in the league with a combined 13.5 fWAR. Max Fried and Carlos Rodón were the biggest reasons for that success. Fried excelled in a career-high 195 1/3 innings, showcasing his signature control and groundball tendencies en route to a fourth-place finish in AL Cy Young voting. Rodón matched Fried’s innings total in his best season as a Yankee, posting a 3.09 ERA with an above-average 25.7% strikeout rate and cutting down on home runs. Rookie Will Warren made 33 starts and showed promise, as did Cam Schlittler in a second-half callup.

The ceiling is clearly high, especially if Warren and Schlittler do well in their sophomore campaigns. Still, there are downside risks related to injuries, underperformance, and depth. Starting with injuries, Gerrit Cole will be back at some point after missing last year due to Tommy John surgery. Prior to that, he only pitched half a season in 2024 due to elbow inflammation. He is now 35 years old with his last full-season workload coming in 2023, when he won the AL Cy Young award.

Manager Aaron Boone said last week that Cole has “had a good rehab” with “no hiccups” (link via Manny Randhawa of MLB.com). It’s not a matter of whether he will perform well when he returns. The question is whether he will sustain his ace-level, pre-injury performance now that he is in his mid-30s and coming off of injury. There is also the matter of volume, as even a June return from Cole would leave several months’ worth of innings for other starters to cover.

Rodón is in a similar spot after undergoing surgery in October to remove loose bodies in his elbow. He is more likely to avoid starting 2026 on the 60-day injured list than Cole, with Rodón aiming to return in late April or early May. He is two years younger than Cole, so he’s less of a risk to suddenly decline. The question with Rodón is whether he can repeat his 2025 performance. A look at his Statcast page offers reason for optimism, with his fastball, breaking, and offspeed run values all grading in the 91st percentile or better. That said, he was more of a mid-rotation starter in 2024, when he posted a 3.95 ERA and allowed 1.59 home runs per nine innings.  Both he and Cole are under contract through 2028.

As for the younger arms, a lot of the rotation’s success depends on improvement from Warren and Schlittler maintaining his performance over a larger sample. For Warren, that comes down to improving his secondary offerings. While his fastball graded out in the 95th percentile by run value, his breaking and offspeed pitches were points of struggle. His slider was his main breaking pitch, but Statcast considered it 10.6 runs below average. His curveball and changeup were both at least 4.6 runs below average. His 24.1% strikeout rate was impressive, but he’ll need to sharpen his secondary offerings and cut back on hard contact if he wants to become a true mid-rotation starter.

Schlittler was a revelation in 14 starts last year. He had a 2.96 ERA and a 27.3% strikeout rate in 73 innings during the regular season and turned in an all-time rookie performance in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series against the Red Sox. His ceiling is arguably higher than Warren’s, although there are similar questions regarding his secondary offerings and control. Statcast took a negative view of his curveball and slider, which he only used a combined 17.3% of the time. Meanwhile, his 10.2% walk rate could use some improvement. None of that diminishes the value of his plus fastball, of course. Still, he’ll need to make adjustments in order to sustain last year’s performance.

Outside of those arms, the club has Luis Gil and newly-acquired Ryan Weathers on hand. Gil won the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2024 but only threw 57 innings over 11 starts last year due to a right lat strain. His 3.32 ERA was good on the surface, but his peripheral numbers – 4.94 xERA and 4.63 FIP – painted him about a run and a half higher. His struggles with control are well-known at this point, and he also suffered a 10.0% drop in strikeout rate in 2025.

Weathers has 86th-percentile fastball velocity, but he has only thrown 281 big-league innings since debuting in 2021. Last year, he was limited to eight starts and 38 1/3 innings due to left flexor and lat strains. The Yankees shelled out four prospects to acquire him, so they’ll give him a chance to harness his fastball while betting on better health. Otherwise, the team has Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn as depth options. Yarbrough did well enough last year, but neither option inspires much confidence if they need to cover significant innings. Meanwhile, Clarke Schmidt underwent UCL surgery in July, so he won’t be an option until the second half, if at all.

How do you think the Yankees’ rotation will fare in 2026? Be sure to let us know in the poll.

Photo courtesy of Rafael Suanes, Imagn Images

Players Who Could Move To The 60-Day IL Once Spring Training Begins

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Most of the clubs in the league currently have a full 40-man roster, which means that just about every transaction requires a corresponding move. Some extra roster flexibility is on the way, however. The 60-day injured list goes away five days after the World Series but comes back when pitchers and catchers report to spring training.

Most clubs have a slightly earlier report date this year due to the World Baseball Classic. Last year, the Cubs and Dodgers had earlier report dates because they were had an earlier Opening Day than everyone else as part of the Tokyo Series. Gavin Stone was the first player to land on the 60-day IL in 2025, landing there on February 11th. According to MLB.com, every club has a report date from February 10th to 13th this year.

It’s worth pointing out that the 60 days don’t start being counted until Opening Day. Although a team can transfer a player to the 60-day IL quite soon, they will likely only do so if they aren’t expecting the player back until late May or beyond. A team also must have a full 40-man roster in order to move a player to the 60-day IL.

There are still plenty of free agents still out there, including big names like Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, Justin Verlander, Chris Bassitt, Lucas Giolito, and more. Perhaps the extra roster flexibility will spur some deals to come together. It could also increase the ability of some clubs to make waiver claims or small trades for players who have been designated for assignment. If a team wants to pass a player through waivers, perhaps they will try to do so in the near future before the extra roster flexibility opens up.

Here are some players who are expected to miss some significant time or who have uncertain recovery timelines from 2025 injuries.

Angels: Anthony Rendon, Ben Joyce

Rendon’s situation is unique. He underwent hip surgery a year ago and missed the entire 2025 season. He is still on the roster and signed through 2026. He and the club have agreed to a salary-deferment plan and he is not expected to be in spring training with the club. His recovery timeline is unclear, but general manager Perry Minasian said earlier this month that Rendon would be “rehabbing at home,” per Alden González of ESPN. If they were going to release him, they likely would have done so by now, so he seems destined for the injured list.

Joyce underwent shoulder surgery in May and missed the remainder of the 2025 season. His current status is unclear. In August, he told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register that he didn’t know if he would be ready for spring training. He would only land on the 60-day IL if the Halos don’t expect him back before the end of May.

Astros: Hayden Wesneski, Ronel Blanco, Brandon Walter

All three of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery in 2025. Wesneski was first, with his surgery taking place on May 23rd. Blanco followed shortly thereafter in early June. They will likely be targeting returns in the second half. Walter’s procedure was in September, meaning he will likely miss the entire season. All three should be on the 60-day IL as soon as Houston needs roster spots for other transactions.

Athletics: Zack Gelof

Gelof underwent surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder in September, with the expectation of him potentially being healthy for spring training. At the end of December, general manager David Forst told Martín Gallegos of MLB.com that Gelof would be “a little bit behind” in spring. He would only land on the 60-day IL if the A’s think he’ll be out through late May.

Blue Jays: Jake Bloss

Bloss underwent surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow in May. He was on optional assignment at the time and stayed in the minors for the rest of the season. Going into 2026, the Jays could keep him in the minors but they could also call him up and place him on the major league IL. Doing so would open up a roster spot but would also mean giving Bloss big league pay and service time.

Braves: Ha-Seong Kim, AJ Smith-Shawver, Danny Young, Joe Jiménez

Kim recently fell on some ice and injured his hand. He underwent surgery last week, and the expected recovery time is four to five months. The shorter end of that window only goes to mid-May, so perhaps Atlanta will hold off on making a decision until they watch his recovery, especially since they have other guys with clearer injury timelines.

Smith-Shawver underwent Tommy John surgery in June, so he shouldn’t be back until the second half and is therefore a lock for the 60-day IL once Atlanta needs a spot. Young underwent the same procedure in May, so he should also be bound for the IL.

Jimenez is more of a question mark. He missed the 2025 season due to left knee surgery. He required a “cleanup” procedure on that knee towards the end of the season. His timeline isn’t currently clear.

Brewers: None.

Cardinals: None.

Cubs: Justin Steele

Steele will probably be a bit of a borderline case. He underwent UCL surgery in April but it wasn’t a full Tommy John surgery. The Cubs described it as a “revision repair”. Steele had undergone Tommy John in 2017 as a minor leaguer.

Since Steele’s more recent procedure was a bit less serious than a full Tommy John, the club gave an estimated return timeline of about one year, putting him in line to potentially return fairly early in 2026. Given his importance to the Cubs, they would only put him on the 60-day IL if his timeline changes and he’s certain to be out through late May.

Diamondbacks: Corbin Burnes, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., A.J. Puk, Justin Martínez, Blake Walston, Tyler Locklear

The Snakes were hit hard by the injury bug in 2025. Burnes, Walston and Martínez all underwent Tommy John surgery. Burnes and Martínez had their procedures in June, so they should be targeting second-half returns and be easy calls for the 60-day IL. Walston would be a bit more borderline because his surgery was around Opening Day in late March last year. Puk had the slightly less significant internal brace procedure in June, so he could also be a borderline case.

Turning to the position players, Gurriel tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in September. He required surgery which came with a return timeline of nine to ten months, so he should be out until around the All-Star break.

Locklear should be back sooner. He underwent surgery in October to address a ligament tear in his elbow and a labrum injury in his shoulder. The hope at the time of that procedure was that he would be game ready to go on a rehab assignment around Opening Day and would therefore miss only about the first month. He would therefore only hit the 60-day IL if he doesn’t meet that timeline for some reason.

Dodgers: Brock Stewart

Stewart underwent shoulder debridement surgery in September. His timeline for 2026 isn’t especially clear. He will likely start the season on the IL but it’s unclear if he’ll be out long enough to warrant landing on the 60-day version.

Giants: Randy Rodríguez, Jason Foley

Rodríguez underwent Tommy John surgery in September, so he’s a lock for the 60-day IL and might even miss the entire 2026 campaign. Foley’s status is a bit more murky. He underwent shoulder surgery in May while with the Tigers. Detroit non-tendered him at season’s end, which allowed the Giants to sign him. He is expected back at some point mid-season. The Giants may want to get more clarity on his progress during camp before deciding on a move to the IL.

Guardians: Andrew Walters, David Fry

Neither of these guys is a lock for the 60-day IL. Walters had surgery to repair his right lat tendon in June with a recovery estimate of eight to ten months. Fry underwent surgery in October due to a deviated septum and a fractured nose suffered when a Tarik Skubal pitch hit him in the face. His timeline is unclear. It’s possible one or both could be healthy by Opening Day, so relevant updates may be forthcoming when camps open.

Mariners: Logan Evans

Evans required UCL surgery just last week and will miss the entire 2026 season. He was on optional assignment at the end of 2025, so the Mariners could keep him in the minors. Calling him up and putting him on the big league 60-day IL would open up a 40-man spot but would also involve Evans receiving big league pay and service time for the year.

Marlins: Ronny Henriquez

Henriquez underwent internal brace surgery in December and will miss the entire 2026 season, so he’s a lock for the 60-day IL.

Mets: Tylor Megill, Reed Garrett, Dedniel Núñez

All three of these pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery late in 2025 and are likely to miss the entire 2026 season, making them locks for the 60-day IL. Núñez went under the knife in July, followed by Megill in September and Garrett in October.

Nationals: Trevor Williams, DJ Herz

Williams underwent internal brace surgery in July. That’s a slightly less serious variation of Tommy John but still usually requires about a year of recovery. Herz underwent a full Tommy John procedure in April. Since that surgery usually requires 14 months or longer to come back, both pitchers are likely out until around the All-Star break and therefore bound for the 60-day IL once the Nats need some roster spots.

Orioles: Félix Bautista

Bautista underwent shoulder surgery in August, and the club announced his recovery timeline as 12 months. He’s a lock for the 60-day IL and may miss the entire season if his recovery doesn’t go smoothly.

Padres: Yu Darvish, Jhony Brito, Jason Adam

Darvish underwent UCL surgery in November and will miss the entire 2026 season. Instead of going on the IL, he may just retire, but it seems there are some contractual complications to be ironed out since he is signed through 2028.

Brito and Adam could be borderline cases. Brito underwent internal brace surgery in May of last year. Some pitchers can return from that procedure in about a year. Adam ruptured a tendon in his left quad in early September. In November, he seemed to acknowledge that he wouldn’t be ready for Opening Day. As of now, a trip to the 60-day IL seems unlikely unless he suffers a setback.

Pirates: Jared Jones

Jones required UCL surgery on May 21st of last year. The Bucs announced an expected return timeline of 10 to 12 months. The shorter end of that window would allow Jones to return fairly early in 2026. If it looks like he’ll be on the longer end of that time frame, he could wind up on the 60-day IL.

Phillies: Zack Wheeler

Wheeler underwent surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome in September, with a timeline of six to eight months. As of now, it seems unlikely Wheeler would require a trip to the 60-day IL, but it depends on how his ramp-up goes. He’s also approaching his 36th birthday, and the Phils could slow-play his recovery.

Rangers: Cody Bradford

Bradford required internal brace surgery in late June of last year. He recently said he’s targeting a return in May. That’s a pretty aggressive timeline, but perhaps the Rangers will delay moving him to the 60-day IL until that plan is strictly ruled out.

Rays: Manuel Rodríguez

Rodriguez underwent flexor tendon surgery in July of last year and is targeting a return in June of this year, so he should be a lock for the 60-day IL.

Reds: Brandon Williamson, Julian Aguiar

Both of these pitchers required Tommy John surgeries late in 2024, Williamson in September and Aguiar in October. They each missed the entire 2025 season. Presumably, they are recovered by now and could be healthy going into 2026, but there haven’t been any recent public updates.

Red Sox: Tanner Houck, Triston Casas

Houck is the most clear-cut case for Boston. He had Tommy John surgery in August of 2025 and will miss most or perhaps all of the 2026 season. Casas is more borderline. He’s still recovering from a ruptured left patellar tendon suffered in May of last year. It doesn’t seem like he will be ready by Opening Day, but his timeline apart from that is murky.

Rockies: Jeff Criswell, Kris Bryant

Criswell required Tommy John surgery in early March of last year. With the normal 14-month recovery timeline, he could be back in May. Anything slightly longer than that would make him a candidate for the 60-day IL. Bryant’s timeline is very difficult to discern. He has hardly played in recent years due to various injuries and is now dealing with chronic symptoms related to lumbar degenerative disc disease. Updates will likely be provided once camp opens.

Royals: Alec Marsh

Marsh missed 2025 due to shoulder problems and is slated to miss 2026 as well after undergoing labrum surgery in November.

Tigers: Jackson Jobe

Jobe required Tommy John surgery in June of last year. He will miss most or perhaps even all of the 2026 season.

Twins: None.

White Sox: Ky Bush, Drew Thorpe, Prelander Berroa

These three hurlers all required Tommy John surgery about a year ago, Bush in February, followed by Berroa and Thorpe in March. Given the normal 14-month recovery period, any of them could return early in 2026, but they could also end up on the 60-day IL if the timeline pushes slightly beyond that.

Yankees: Clarke Schmidt, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Anthony Volpe

Schmidt is the only lock of this group. He required UCL surgery in July of last year and should miss the first half of the 2026 season. Cole is recovering from Tommy John surgery performed in March of last year. His target is expected to be late May/early June, so he has a decent chance to hit the 60-day. However, given his importance to the club, the Yankees probably won’t put him there until it’s certain he won’t be back by the middle of May.

Rodón had surgery in October to remove loose bodies in his elbow. He’s expected to be back with the big league club in late April or early May, so he would only hit the 60-day IL if his timeline is pushed. Volpe required shoulder surgery in October. He’s not expected to be ready by Opening Day, but his timeline beyond that doesn’t seem concrete.

Photo courtesy of Allan Henry, Imagn Images

AL East Injury Notes: Rodon, Henderson, Kjerstad

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Carlos Rodón seems to be progressing well from the surgery he had in October to remove loose bodies from his elbow. In an appearance on Foul Territory’s livestream of the New York Baseball Writers’ Gala, Rodón said he was back throwing eight weeks removed from the surgery. He’s been recently doing mound work as well.“It doesn’t really feel like much of a rehab,” Rodón said.

The most recent timeline from the team had Rodón returning in late April or early May. That would put him slightly ahead of Gerrit Cole and well ahead of Clarke Schmidt. Cole and Schmidt are coming back from Tommy John surgery. Rodón stressed the improved mobility he had following the surgery. “I couldn’t really bend my elbow,” he said of his pre-surgery movement.

Rodón set career highs in starts (33) and innings (195 1/3) last season. He finished top 10 in strikeouts. A forearm strain cost him a few months to begin his Yankees tenure in 2023, but he’s been largely healthy since then.

The strong 2025 campaign for Rodón fell apart in the postseason. He was rocked for nine earned runs over 8 1/3 innings between the ALDS and ALCS. Rodón posted an uninspiring 8:5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his two starts.

New York will open next season with a rotation consisting of Max Fried, postseason breakout Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil, Will Warren, and trade acquisition Ryan Weathers. It’s a relatively unproven group (outside of Fried) with a lengthy injury history. Veterans Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough are on hand to eat innings. The unit will try to hold down the fort as Rodón, Cole, and Schmidt work toward their returns.

Elsewhere around the division, the Orioles received some positive news on a pair of young left-handed bats. Gunnar Henderson says he’s fully healthy after dealing with a shoulder impingement for much of last season, as relayed by Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. Henderson revealed the injury earlier this month. He reiterated at this week’s fanfest event that the problem is behind him. “Feel great, shoulder feels great, so I feel like I’m in a great spot right now. Swing’s been feeling awesome so far.”

Henderson delivered a solid all-around season in 2025, though his power numbers fell precipitously from the heights he reached the previous year. After slugging 37 home runs in 2024, he hit just 17 this past season. Henderson’s slugging percentage dipped from .529 to .438, and his ISO went from .248 to .165. It’s hard to complain about a 120 wRC+ and a career-best 30 steals, but the final result was a bit of a letdown after Henderson finished fourth in AL MVP voting the prior year. He should be a threat for 35+ homers once again with the shoulder injury cleared up.

Heston Kjerstad is also expected to be good to go heading into 2026. Manager Craig Albernaz told reporters, including Matt Weyrich of the Baltimore Sun, that Kjerstad will be a “full participant” in Spring Training. There hasn’t been a clear explanation for the outfielder’s absence to end last season, but it appears to be in the rearview. Kjerstad was shut down in late July while dealing with fatigue. Reports in September were that he was seeing doctors about an unspecified medical condition.

“He’s itching to get back to where he can get back to,” Albernaz told reporters, including Kubatko. “Heston’s pedigree, he had to prove how good he was in the minor leagues, and going to the Fall League (in 2022) and winning MVP, like, that’s not an easy league to do that in.”

Kjerstad was the second overall pick in 2020. He’s struggled to gain a foothold in the majors, slashing .218/.284/.365 in sporadic playing time over the past three seasons. Baltimore trading for Taylor Ward, signing Pete Alonso, and retaining Ryan Mountcastle make it tough to see Kjerstad cracking the roster to open 2026.

Photo courtesy of Brad Penner, Imagn Images

Yankees Interested In Brad Keller, MacKenzie Gore

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The Yankees are interested in free agent right-hander Brad Keller, reports Joel Sherman of The New York Post. They also have interest in left-hander MacKenzie Gore of the Nationals, reports Andrew Golden of The Washington Post.

On paper, the Yankee rotation is much stronger at the end of 2026 compared to the start. Each of Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt are all recovering from surgeries and are expected to start next year on the injured list. Cole and Schmidt both underwent Tommy John surgery this year, Cole in March and Schmidt in July. Rodón had surgery in October to remove loose bodies from his elbow.

Bryan Hoch of MLB.com provided updates today. Rodón is expected to be back with the club in late April or early May. Cole is expected slightly after that, with a May/June target. Hoch didn’t mention Schmidt, but given his later surgery date, he shouldn’t be expected back until the latter parts of the upcoming season.

By the end of the season, it’s possible the rotation group includes Cole, Rodón, Schmidt, Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil and Will Warren. But to start the season, the group would have Fried, Schlittler, Gil and Warren, with guys like Allan Winans and Ryan Yarbrough in the mix for the back end. Elmer Rodriguez could be a factor but he hasn’t yet made his major league debut.

Keller has experience as a starter and a reliever. He is coming off a tremendous season working out of the Cubs’ bullpen but has been getting interest from clubs as a potential starter next year. Sherman says the Yanks are more interested in him as a reliever but they could use him out of the rotation earlier in the year as they wait for other arms to get healthy. Once guys like Cole and Rodón return to health, unless the situation has drastically changed, Keller could be pushed into a relief role.

From 2018 to 2020, Keller had pretty decent results as a starter with the Royals. He wasn’t overwhelming but he rode a grounder-heavy approach to some success. He had a 3.50 earned run average over those seasons. His 16.8% strikeout rate was well below par but his 52.1% ground ball rate was quite strong. His results backed up from there, as he posted a 5.14 ERA from 2021 to 2023. He had thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in October of 2023. He was back on the mound in 2024 with unimpressive results.

As mentioned, he just wrapped up a tremendous season as a reliever with the Cubs. He tossed 69 2/3 innings with a 2.07 ERA. As before, he got opponents to keep the ball on the ground at a 56.1% clip, but his 27.2% strikeout rate was a massive increase relative to his time with the Royals.

MLBTR predicted Keller could secure three years and $36MM on the open market, noting that it would be possible some clubs looked to move him back to a rotation role. The Tigers had been reportedly interested in that kind of move but that was before they added Drew Anderson, a signing which became official today. It’s possible the Anderson signing make the Tigers less likely to pursue Keller.

While Keller would be an interesting addition in his flexibility, Gore would be a much more straightforward rotation upgrade. He has been exclusively a starter over the past three years. He showed some flashes of huge upside in 2025 but finished with a middling season overall. Through the All-Star Break, he had a 3.02 ERA, 30.5% strikeout rate and 7.7% walk rate. At that time, only four starters were ahead of him in the strikeout rate column, an excellent group consisting of Tarik Skubal, Zack Wheeler, Garrett Crochet and Hunter Brown.

He couldn’t keep it going in the second half. He went on the injured list twice, once due shoulder inflammation and the second time due to an ankle impingement. He posted a 6.75 ERA in his second-half starts around those IL stints, which led to him finishing the year with a 4.17 ERA overall.

Since Gore doesn’t have Keller’s track record of relief work, it’s possible that acquiring him would eventually lead to a rotation logjam later in the year. Perhaps the Yankees aren’t worried about that, as pitching injuries will naturally thin out the group from its ideal arrangement at some point. If a surplus does come to pass, that would be the proverbial good problem to have.

Adding Gore would be cheaper than Keller in terms of dollars. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects him for a $4.7MM salary next year. He would be owed another raise in 2027 before he’s slated to become a free agent. That’s undoubtedly appealing for the Yankees, especially considering the competitive balance tax and the compounding costs involved there. However, the Yanks would also have to send a package of prospects to the Nationals. The Nats have received interest in Gore from half the league, so the bidding should be fierce.

General manager Brian Cashman said this week, per Greg Joyce of The New York Post, that he doesn’t have a set payroll for 2026. “Hal’s exact words to me continue to be, ‘Take everything that’s out there to me,’ which I will continue to do,” Cashman said, referring to owner Hal Steinbrenner.

RosterResource currently projects them for a pure payroll of $260MM, which is $36MM shy of where they finished the 2025 season. In terms of the CBT, the Yanks are just above $283MM, meaning they are less than $1MM from the third tier of the tax. If they go over the third tier, they will be subject to a higher rate of taxation and their top pick in the 2027 draft will drop by ten spots.

Photo courtesy of Matt Marton, Imagn Images

Aaron Judge Will Not Require Elbow Surgery; Rodón, Volpe Expected To Start 2026 On IL

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Yankees manager Aaron Boone held a press conference today and provided some notable updates about players on the roster. Outfielder Aaron Judge will not require offseason surgery on his right elbow. However, left-hander Carlos Rodón underwent a procedure to remove loose bodies from his left elbow. He will be no-throw for eight weeks and will likely miss the start of next season. Shortstop Anthony Volpe, who had shoulder surgery this week, won’t be able to hit for four months and won’t be able to dive for six months. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic was among those to relay the updates (tweet one, two and three). General manager Brian Cashman also confirmed, per Greg Joyce of The New York Post, that Volpe will indeed start the season on the injured list.

The news on Judge is obviously good. He was diagnosed with a flexor strain in July. Though his stint on the IL was minimal, he was limited to designated hitter duties in August. This was a bit awkward, as it forced Giancarlo Stanton into the field, surely more than the Yankees had planned on. Judge gradually played the outfield more throughout September and into October.

If Judge had required Tommy John surgery or some other significant elbow operation, that would have had lingering impacts into the 2026 season, though it seems Judge will be expected to be a full-time outfielder again next year. That should allow the Yankees to go into 2026 planning on having Judge in right and Stanton in the DH slot.

The outfield will still be a focus this offseason, however. Trent Grisham is an impending free agent. Cody Bellinger is going to opt out of his contract and hit the open market as well. That leaves Judge and Jasson Domínguez as the two outfield holdovers. A former top prospect, Domínguez has yet to fully break out. 2025 was his largest stretch of big league playing time. He produced roughly league average offense with poor defense.

Per Kirschner, Boone expects Domínguez to be a regular with the Yanks next year but the skipper added the caveat that it depends what moves happen this offseason. The Yanks could pursue reunions with Bellinger and/or Grisham while the free agent market also features names like Kyle Tucker, Harrison Bader and Cedric Mullins. The trade market should feature names like Lars Nootbaar, Alec Burleson, Adolis García and others. Per Jack Curry of the YES Network, Cashman said he would love to have Bellinger back but the Yankees haven’t had any offseason discussions yet. Per Kirschner, Cashman says that prospect Spencer Jones has also put himself in the mix for a job next year, though that also depends on what happens in the offseason.

The Rodón news is obviously less pleasant. It doesn’t appear as though he’s slated for a huge absence, but the Yanks will go into the season with a few guys on the IL. Gerrit Cole had Tommy John surgery in March of last year. He should return at some point in 2026 but Boone confirmed today, per Kirschner, that Cole would not be ready by Opening Day. Clarke Schmidt had his own TJS in July and will be out well into the 2026 campaign.

Those arms could provide nice in-season boosts to the rotation but the Yanks will have to begin the campaign without them. As of right now, the Opening Day rotation projects as Max Fried, Luis Gil, Cam Schlittler and Will Warren. The Yankees will presumably look to bolster that before Opening Day. It’s possible they end up with a crowded group once Rodón and Cole get back on the mound but other injuries are fairly inevitable. The free agent market is headlined by guys like Framber Valdez, Tatsuya Imai, Dylan Cease and Ranger Suárez, while the trade market could feature MacKenzie Gore, Joe Ryan and plenty others.

As for Volpe, it seems Boone still views him as the shortstop once he’s healthy. “Yeah, he’s right in the mix to do that,” Boone said today, per Kirschner. Cashman also admitted today, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, that the shoulder issue was impacting Volpe during the season.

That’s backed up by the numbers. Volpe’s defensive metrics dropped significantly this year. He had six Defensive Runs Saved and 14 Outs Above Average in 2024 but 2 DRS and -7 OAA in 2025. His offense finished in a similar spot to previous seasons but he seemed to drop off a cliff once he suffered the injury. He had a .237/.328/.456 slash and 119 wRC+ through the end of April, just a few days before injuring his shoulder. He hit .205/.255/.374 for a 74 wRC+ from the start of May onwards.

Going into 2026, the Yankees could look to external options, though there aren’t surefire answers out there. The free agent market is headlined by Bo Bichette, who is an excellent hitter but a poor defender. Guys like Ha-Seong Kim and Trevor Story could be out there via opt-outs, though there are issues there as well. Kim is coming off a poor season after recovering from shoulder surgery. Story had a bounceback year after his own injury odyssey but he’s about to turn 33 and may not opt out anyway. CJ Abrams may be available in trade but he’s not a great defender either and the bat is inconsistent.

Perhaps the Yankees will let José Caballero hold the job until Volpe is healthy. Caballero played well after being acquired at the deadline. Braden Shewmake is on the roster as depth and the Yanks could bring in some veteran utility types.

Photo courtesy of Brett Davis, Imagn Images

World Series Notes: Rodon, Flaherty, Cole, Phillips

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While the big news from last night’s World Series game was the shoulder injury suffered by Shohei Ohtani, he wasn’t the only player dealing with an ailment during yesterday’s game. As noted by SNY’s Andy Martino last night, Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon was pitching through a blister on one of his fingers during his start last night, which saw him surrender four runs on six hits as he struck out three in 3 1/3 innings of work.

Blister issues can cause problems with a pitcher’s grip on certain pitches. In the regular season, it’s not uncommon for a pitcher dealing with a blister to be sidelined for a short trip to the injured list until a blister fades and they can resume pitching unimpeded, but Rodon downplayed the seriousness of the issue to Martino last night as he suggested the blister was “not a big deal” and that it won’t impact his availability going forward in the World Series as the Yankees look to fight their way back from an 0-2 deficit. Rodon went on to note that he’s dealt with blister problems before in his career, though this is the first time he’s had one this year.

Overall, Rodon’s sophomore season with the Yankees has been a bit of a mixed bag. The southpaw posted a decent 3.96 ERA (104 ERA+) and struck out 26.5% of opponents while making 32 starts, but he also surrendered a career-high 31 homers and has struggled to this point in the postseason. In 17 2/3 innings of work across four postseason starts, Rodon has struggled to a 5.60 ERA overall, albeit with two strong performances against Cleveland in the ALCS that saw him strike out 15 of the 41 batters he faced. Fans in New York are surely hoping that they’ll get that version of Rodon in Game 6 if the series if the series makes it back to Los Angeles, though for now the team will have to focus on breaking through for their first win of the series.

More notes from the postseason…

  • Rodon isnt the only starter who’s been dealing with a day-to-day injury in this series, as Dodgers right-hander Jack Flaherty dealt with some hamstring tightness during his start in Game 1 of the World Series, according to manager Dave Roberts. As relayed by the Los Angeles Times’s Mike DiGiovanna, Roberts does not believe the issue to be a serious one. That’s good news for the Dodgers, as the club’s injury-plagued rotation would have few options to replace Flaherty if he were to go down. The right-hander struggled through the division series against the Padres and the championship series against the Mets but looked quite good in his start against the Yankees as he struck out six in 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball. Flaherty is next expected to take the ball in a potential Game 5 on Wednesday, following tomorrow’s start by Walker Buehler and a bullpen game on Tuesday.
  • Flaherty’s opponent in the series is expected to be Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, and Martino reports that the Yankees currently intend to keep it that way as the club “has not considered” the possibility of starting Cole on short rest in Game 4 of the series if the Yankees are facing elimination. While Martino adds the possibility cannot be completely ruled out, it would be a major departure from the way Cole has been utilized throughout his career. The 34-year-old righty has pitched on short rest only once before in his career, during the 2020 ALDS against the Rays, and while he was effective in that start the Yankees may be less willing to risk his health now that Cole half a decade older and wrapping up a season that saw him miss half the year due to elbow troubles.
  • Turning back to the Dodgers, right-hander Evan Phillips was left off the club’s World Series roster amid a number of nagging ailments including arm fatigue as well as tightness in his lat, triceps, and biceps. Phillips discussed his situation with DiGiovanna in more detail yesterday, noting that an MRI revealed nerve irritation in his right shoulder. Phillips described the issue as “nothing majorly concerning,” however, and suggested that the decision to leave him off the roster primarily had to do with the fact that the Dodgers wouldn’t be allowed to replace him if he were to more seriously injure himself since he was already injured before the series began. Phillips hasn’t ruled out the possibility he could be added to the roster if another pitcher is injured, though Roberts has previously suggested veteran righty Joe Kelly might be first in line as an injury replacement.

Yankees Notes: Pitching Staff, Rizzo, Verdugo

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The Yankees now know they’ll be taking on the Guardians in the ALCS when it begins on Monday, and manager Aaron Boone spoke to reporters (including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com) about the club’s roster plans for the coming series. Of note, Boone indicated that after bringing just 11 pitchers to the ALDS they’ll be expanding their pitching staff headed into the seven-game set, though it’s not yet clear whether they’ll use the maximum 13 pitchers allowed or settle for 12 in order to maintain a more flexible bench.

Regardless of how many pitchers end up coming, the Yankees will need to utilize four rotation arms in the upcoming seven-game series after turning to only Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt in the best-of-five ALDS. Per Hoch, Boone indicated that right-hander Luis Gil will be joining the club’s rotation for the ALCS, though neither he nor Gerrit Cole will start Game 1 with Cole scheduled for a start in Game 2 and Gil expected to start later in the series. That would seemingly leave either Rodon or Schmidt lined up to start the first game of the ALCS.

Schmidt has both the stronger regular season and postseason numbers of the pair, having posted a 2.85 ERA in 16 regular season starts and thrown 4 2/3 innings of two-run ball against the Royals during the ALDS. With that said, Rodon did strike out seven batters in his 3 2/3 innings of work during the ALDS (albeit with four earned runs on his ledger) and would be start Game 1 on an additional day of rest as compared to Schmidt. Veteran righty Marcus Stroman is also theoretically available to start if needed but seems likely to be used as a starter only in an emergency after being moved to the bullpen late in the regular season and being left off the ALDS roster entirely. Stroman could make the ALCS roster as a multi-inning reliever or emergency starter, though it’s also possible the club could want to add another short relief arm such as Mark Leiter Jr. to their bullpen mix headed into the series.

As the Yankees ponder how many pitchers to roster for the ALCS, one potential factor in that decision could be how many roster spots they need to allocate to first base. Veteran first baseman Anthony Rizzo was absent from the ALDS roster after suffering two broken fingers in the final days of the regular season. In his stead, the Yankees relied on a combination of Oswaldo Cabrera and Jon Berti at first base when facing Kansas City. The pair went a combined 3-for-12 with a double, four walks and four strikeouts during the series and could be turned to once again at first depending on Rizzo’s status.

Rookie Ben Rice was also on the ALDS roster as a first base option but ultimately did not make it into a game, making him a logical cut from the ALCS roster either for the return of Rizzo or the addition of another pitcher. Hoch relays that Boone told reporters the veteran first baseman was making “some progress” as he looks to return in time for the ALCS, though Boone didn’t get into specifics about Rizzo’s status and noted that a final decision about his availability likely would not be made until the club finalizes its roster plans on Monday.

One position that seems fairly set in stone for the Bronx headed into next week’s series, however, is left field. After a lackluster regular season that saw the Yankees briefly turn to top prospect Jasson Dominguez over him down the stretch, Verdugo received the nod in left field headed into the playoffs. While Verdugo went just three-for-14 in the ALDS this year, he did deliver a clutch performance in Game 1 where he notched two hits, knocked in the go-ahead run and made an impressive defensive play in the outfield to rob Royals second baseman Michael Massey of a hit.

Verdugo’s Game 1 heroics were evidently enough to earn him a starting nod in the left field headed into the ALCS, as Boone indicated (as relayed by Hoch) that the outfielder is “likely” to remain the club’s starter in left for their coming series against Cleveland. Dominguez, Trent Grisham, and Duke Ellis were other outfielders included on the club’s ALDS roster, Ellis’s brief cameo a pinch runner in Game 5 was the only appearance any of the three made during the series. If the Yankees ultimately decide to go to 13 pitchers on the roster, cutting one of those outfield options could be another way to free up space for more pitching.

Yankees Notes: Rotation, Kahnle, Bowman, Boone

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While the Yankees won’t be playing in the postseason this fall, each member of the starting staff still has something to pitch for over the final six games of the season. Gerrit Cole likely has one start remaining to bolster his Cy Young case. The six-time All-Star is the clear favorite, boasting the AL lead in innings pitched and ERA, but he could do with one more strong outing to pad his stats. Meanwhile, converted reliever Michael King has one final game to cap off his impressive transformation into a starting pitcher. If he looks like a lock for the rotation in 2024, it should increase his earning power during the arbitration process this winter.

Carlos Rodón hasn’t looked like himself in the first season of a six-year deal with the Yankees, and his last start will give him a chance to right the ship before the year is up. Similarly, Clarke Schmidt, Luke Weaver, and Frankie Montas are all looking to make a strong impression in their final outings.

Schmidt turned heads out of the bullpen in his rookie season but hasn’t looked quite as sharp out of the rotation during his sophomore campaign, especially as the year has gone on. He’ll look to improve on his 5.24 ERA since the All-Star break. Weaver and Montas will both be free agents this offseason, so it stands to reason that each would like to go out on a high note. Weaver pitched well in his second outing for New York on Friday, and he’s trying to turn things around after a disappointing season with the Reds, Mariners, and Yankees. Montas has spent the entire 2023 campaign on the injured list, but the Yankees could give him a chance to return for one appearance before he hits the open market.

In other Yankees notes…

  • The Yankees placed right-hander Tommy Kahnle on the 15-day IL with shoulder inflammation, ending his 2023 season. The oft-injured reliever missed the first two months of the year with biceps tendinitis but pitched well from June to September, posting a 2.66 ERA and 3.68 SIERA in 42 games. He is under contract through 2024, and barring a setback, there is no reason to believe he won’t be back on the mound next spring.
  • To replace Kahnle on the active roster, the Yankees recalled Matt Bowman from Triple-A. This will be the righty’s second stint with the big league team, after a brief call-up earlier this month. Following his selection in the 2012 draft, Bowman spent time with the Mets, Cardinals, and Reds before signing a minor league deal with the Yankees after the 2020 season. He missed the next two years recovering from Tommy John surgery but re-signed with New York this past winter. He has a 3.99 ERA in 49 games at Triple-A this year.
  • With the Yankees officially eliminated from postseason contention and facing their first losing season since 1992, it’s fair to wonder if manager Aaron Boone is on the hot seat. Steve Adams addressed that very issue earlier today, wondering if the Yankees will (and if they should) fire their skipper.

Yankees Announce Several Roster Moves

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The Yankees announced Tuesday that they’ve reinstated Carlos Rodon from the 15-day injured list, recalled infielder Oswald Peraza and outfield prospect Everson Pereira from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, placed outfielder Billy McKinney on the 10-day injured list due to back spasms, and designated outfielder Greg Allen for assignment. The recalls of Peraza and Pereira were reported on yesterday.

Allen, 30, will lose his spot on the active and 40-man rosters to clear the way for Pereira to enter the outfield mix in the Bronx. Allen is out of minor league options, so he can’t be sent down without first clearing waivers. He appeared in 22 games for the Yankees since returning to the organization but received just 28 plate appearances in that time (during which he went 5-for-23 with a pair of walks and 10 strikeouts). Allen has been used primarily as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement late in games.

That’s a role with which Allen has become increasingly familiar over the years. The fleet-footed switch-hitter hasn’t topped 134 plate appearances in a big league season since 2019 and has never tallied 300 trips to the plate in a given season. Allen is a career .231/.300/.340 hitter with 11 home runs and a 48-for-57 showing in stolen bases (84%) at the MLB level. He’s played all three outfield spots extensively and draws above-average marks at each, per Statcast. Defensive Runs Saved pegs him as a plus left fielder but a lesser option in center field.

Allen’s brand of speed and defense could prompt a clear postseason contender to consider him on waivers in the next few days. Rosters will expand from 26 to 28 players on Sept. 1, and as long as Allen is with a new organization at 11:59pm ET or earlier on Aug. 31, he’d be eligible for postseason play with that new club. It’s relatively common for teams to carry pinch-running and defensive specialists in such settings, so Allen isn’t a lock to make it through waivers. If he does go unclaimed, he’ll be able to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency and sign with any team.

Rodon will look to get into a good groove and carry some momentum into 2024. He signed a six-year, $162MM deal in the offseason but hasn’t yet been able to provide the Yanks with any return on that investment yet. He dealt with forearm and back issues early in the year and wasn’t able to make his team debut until July. He struggled through six starts, posting a 7.33 ERA, before landing back on the IL due to a hamstring strain.

The Yankee season has largely been sunk by injuries, including those of Rodon but also many others. They are now 60-64 and 9.5 games back of a playoff spot with just over a month left on the schedule. Their playoff odds are down to 0.4% at FanGraphs. But both the club and Rodon would surely be encouraged if he could post some good starts before the offseason gets going, carrying some good feelings into the winter.

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