The New York Yankees came into the season with high expectations for their starting rotation. They went and signed Max Fried over the offseason to help bolster their stable of starters, but he would be the one running the show.
The club was without its ace, Gerrit Cole, for the season after he underwent Tommy John surgery in March. He is still recovering from the surgery and is expected to miss the start of the 2026 season.
However, he is not the only starting pitcher who is expected to miss the start of next season. Carlos Rodon is also expected to miss some time early after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies and a bone spur in his elbow.
Yankees urged to re-sign lefty stopgap with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon injured
One Yankees pitcher who stepped up tremendously for the club this past season was Ryan Yarbrough. He was used as both a reliever and a starter, but sustained a right oblique strain in June that caused him to miss some time.
Yarbrough will be a free agent when the season comes to a close, and MLB insider Joel Sherman believes he would be great for the Yankees to re-sign.
“The Yanks could look to plug in a starter to cover innings early who has the ability to flip to the pen if the Yankees’ rotation ever gets whole. Yarbrough is capable of filling that slot if the Yankees go that way.”
Not only could Yarbrough fill in as a starter, but he could return to the bullpen once Cole and Rodon return. There are not many other pitchers on the open market that can fill both roles, and he would not cost the club too much either.
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