Andres Chavez
The New York Yankees are off to a brilliant 3-0 start this year after sweeping the San Francisco Giants on the road. They will begin a three-game set with the Seattle Mariners on the West Coast on Monday.
The Yankees have gotten excellent starts from Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, and Will Warren in their first three games. Ryan Weathers will take the ball on Monday, while Luis Gil continues to get ready in the minor leagues, should the team need him.
Still nearing the end of their respective rehabs, Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon could represent huge upgrades for an already strong rotation in a matter of weeks.
The Long Road Back
Rodon, who underwent elbow surgery in October to remove loose bodies and shave a bone spur, is still building up strength in live batting practice, while Cole is a bit deeper into rehab, having already faced the thrill of game competition with a couple of Grapefruit League appearances.
Also lurking is shortstop Anthony Volpe, who also went under the knife after the conclusion of the 2025 campaign to repair a partially torn rotator cuff that affected his performance.
Yankees insider Bryan Hoch shared updates on the three rehabbing stars. Little by little, they keep getting closer to returning to the active roster.
“Yankees injury updates: Carlos Rodon threw 50 pitches in live BP yesterday. Gerrit Cole is scheduled to toss one ‘up’ of live BP in a couple of days. Anthony Volpe has been hitting off the Trajekt machine and will advance to live at-bats soon,” Hoch posted on X.
Rodon was absolutely magnificent in the 2025 regular season with a 3.09 ERA in 195.1 innings, striking out 203 hitters. Unfortunately, his elbow started barking in October, and he struggled in the postseason.
Late April Remains The Goal
He says the feeling and movement range in his elbow is night and day, and there is no reason why he can’t return to his best once he returns in late April or early May. The same can be said about Cole, who got Tommy John surgery last spring but is nearing a minor league assignment.
Maybe the Yankees will announce his next destination after his upcoming live BP session. Like Rodon, he is an option to rejoin his teammates in late April or early May.
Volpe is expected to begin a rehab assignment around the middle of April, but he will need to show he is more than just an 83-wRC+ hitter with mediocre defense. At his best, he is a Gold Glover, but the offense will make or break his Yankees career.
The three players should be contributing to the 2026 team by early May if everything goes according to plan.
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