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(Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
The New York Yankees will receive reinforcements to bolster their starting rotation throughout the 2026 MLB season. Carlos Rodón, Gerrit Cole, and Clarke Schmidt will be returning at various points in the season.
Nonetheless, Cole might be the more welcomed return considering he missed the 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John Surgery. Moreover, the question mark surrounding Cole is whether he can still be the No. 1 guy the Yankees have counted on him to be in the past.
Although Cole is 35 years old and coming off Tommy John, manager Aaron Boone believes that the veteran can still anchor New York’s starting rotation.
“I think so,” Boone told reporters on Feb. 13 (h/t SNY). “I’m not going to put anything past Gerrit Cole. Again, he’s so good at his craft. The success rate on these surgeries is usually pretty good, and the way the rehab process has gone would suggest that he’s going to return to form.
“I know sometimes that’s a work in progress. Sometimes, in the early starts, as you’re working your way back, everyone is different in that regard. But I’m not going to put any ceiling on what Gerrit could do once he’s back in the rotation.”
New York Willing to Be Patient With Gerrit Cole
Moreover, Boone intends to ease Cole’s workload and doesn’t plan to make him a workhorse as soon as the Yankees star is ready to go. With New York eyeing a World Series win, it will be ideal to take their time with Cole to ensure that, once the fall comes around, Boone can take the reins off him.
“The reality is he didn’t pitch last year on top of having that surgery,” Boone added (h/t SNY). “We want to make sure we give him the proper time to make sure he is good and ready to come back, built up in a smart way.
“So no, we won’t rush that with him, even if it continues to go incredibly well. You’ve got to be cognizant of the innings that he missed last year, and you want to be able to maximize those as much as you can and have him in the best, safest position he is in once he returns to roll.”
Yankees Announce Cam Schlittler Injury News
While Cole is returning from his Tommy John Surgery, the Yankees did announce that another pitcher is dealing with an injury. On Feb. 12, Boone announced that Cam Schlittler is dealing with mid-back inflammation.
Furthermore, Boone says that Schlittler will continue to throw but will likely stay off a mound for at least the next few days.
“Cam Schlittler has got a little inflammation in his mid‑back,” Boone told reporters (h/t SNY). “They’ll probably keep him off the mound for the next few days at least. He’s going to continue to throw, no issues there. He’s continuing with his throwing program, just something we’re trying to stay ahead of.”
Schlittler also spoke to the media on Feb. 12 after Boone announced that the player is dealing with mid-back inflammation and revealed his level of concern on the issue.
“Zero [concern], I’d say,” Schlittler said (h/t SNY). “Again, it’s early. I’ve been dealing with it for a little bit, so I just want to make sure I’m on top of it. Again, I’m ready for Opening Day in that week in San Francisco… Just midback, just minor inflammation. Maybe more lat as well. Just making sure I’m staying on top of that the next few days and get ready for games.”
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
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