The New York Yankees begin their preparation right now, gearing up for a 2026 MLB season in which they aim to forget a campaign that ended in outright failure. And it is precisely during Spring Training that Aaron Boone delivers encouraging news for the fans.
Two key arms on the way back
Two of the Yankees’ most important pitchers are currently in the recovery process after undergoing elbow surgeries. It was the team’s manager himself, Aaron Boone, who provided the latest update.
The skipper spoke about the status of Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón in a video posted by Yankees Videos on social media. Both are progressing well in their rehab programs, although they have different projected return timelines due to the distinct procedures they underwent.
Carlos Rodón had surgery in October to clean out his elbow. Doctors removed bone fragments and shaved down a bone spur that had been causing discomfort. The procedure came after his best season in pinstripes: 18 wins and a 3.09 ERA over 33 starts.
“He’s probably not too far from the start of the season,” Boone said about Rodón. In a best-case scenario, the left-hander could return in April or May for a Yankees team that desperately needs wins and currently has a rotation built around Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil, and Will Warren.
On the other hand, Gerrit Cole underwent Tommy John surgery in March, forcing him to miss the entire 2025 season. This type of procedure typically requires 12 to 16 months of recovery, making it unlikely he will be ready for Opening Day.
The 2023 American League Cy Young Award winner is targeting a midseason return, which could significantly strengthen the Yankees rotation-if New York hasn’t already fallen too far behind in the AL East standings.
“He’s thrown several bullpen sessions in California. He’s scheduled to begin live batting practice in a couple of weeks and could potentially even participate in a game or two toward the end of spring training. We’ll see how everything progresses and if we decide to do it, but both have made good progress,” Boone explained.
What truly caught attention was the possibility of seeing Cole pitch in a spring training game before making an official return-an extremely positive sign for the New York Yankees.
Now, all that remains is to see not only the condition in which these star pitchers return, but also where the Yankees stand in the playoff race-because reinforcements only matter if they arrive before it’s too late.
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