When Carlos Rodón walked off the mound in Game 3 of the ALDS, his face told the story his stat line confirmed: something wasn’t right. The New York Yankees’ fiery left-hander, usually sharp and unflappable at least in 2025, was shelled for six runs in just over two innings against the Toronto Blue Jays. Even though New York managed to pull out a win that night, it felt like a warning sign for what was to come.
Now, the other shoe has dropped.
Rodón undergoes elbow surgery
In his first press conference since the Yankees’ playoff exit, manager Aaron Boone revealed that Rodón underwent elbow surgery on Wednesday to remove a bone spur.
The lefty had loose bodies cleaned out of the joint, a discovery made during postseason medical evaluations. As a result, he won’t throw for eight weeks and is likely to open the 2026 season on the injured list.
It’s probably something the Yankees wanted to get taken care of early, as the team wants to have Rodón fully healthy for the bulk of next year.
The operation, while minor in nature compared to ligament reconstruction, still delays Rodón’s ramp-up, which is why he is expected to miss at least the first few weeks of the 2026 campaign.
A season of redemption and resilience
For much of 2025, Rodón looked like the ace the Yankees envisioned when they signed him to that massive contract three winters ago. After a rocky debut season in pinstripes and a better, but still not quite elite 2024, he rebounded in dominant fashion — posting a 3.09 ERA with 203 strikeouts across 195.1 innings. His fastball command sharpened, his slider regained its bite, and he carried himself with a confidence that set the tone for the rotation.
But baseball, like life, has a way of testing even the strongest comebacks. Rodón’s postseason started on a high note — a composed, solid outing against the Red Sox — before the wheels came off against Toronto. Whether the bone spur was already causing discomfort or it flared up during that outing remains unclear, but it’s easy to imagine the injury played a role in that unraveling.
Yankees face rotation uncertainty heading into 2026
Rodón’s absence adds another wrinkle to an already uncertain pitching picture. Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt are not expected to be ready until mid-summer, leaving Boone’s staff thin in the early months of next season. The Yankees will likely lean on Max Fried, Cam Schlitter, Luis Gil, and a mix of younger arms or offseason additions to bridge the gap.
That’s not the kind of start a team with championship aspirations wants — but it’s one they’ve become uncomfortably familiar with. For a rotation built on talent and intensity, the early part of 2026 could feel more like a triage unit than a powerhouse.
A setback, not a derailment
Still, Rodón’s outlook remains largely positive. Bone spur removals are routine, and with an early procedure, the Yankees expect him to return near full strength by late April or early May. It’s a temporary setback for a pitcher who rediscovered his identity this year — a reminder that even the fiercest competitors sometimes need repairs under the hood.
In many ways, Rodón’s season mirrored the Yankees’ own: flashes of dominance, moments of struggle, and ultimately, an abrupt ending that left more questions than answers. But if his 2025 turnaround proved anything, it’s that he knows how to respond when doubted.
The Yankees just have to hope that, come next summer, Rodón’s arm — and his fire — are both back where they belong: on the mound, dictating games instead of watching from the dugout.
More about: New York Yankees
