Ryan Garcia

April 18, 2026

MLB: New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays, carlos rodon — Credit: Dave Nelson-Imagn Images

Aaron Boone spoke to reporters before today’s afternoon contest between the Yankees and Royals, with his squad looking to pick up its first series win in their last four attempts.

Yesterday’s much-needed win was underscored by a successful rehab start for Gerrit Cole, who pitched into the fifth inning for the Somerset Patriots and will now determine his next steps.

Despite his massive first step, Boone said that Carlos Rodon will still “probably” return to the Bronx before Cole does, as the left-hander is expected to be around 50-60 pitches in his live bullpen today.

The previously stated plan would be to have Rodon begin a rehab assignment after this live bullpen session where he would need three starts before joining the team.

If he follows a five-day schedule, he could be back in early May where the team would get a huge piece back for their rotation, which has sputtered a bit in the backend.

Carlos Rodon Still On Track to Return to Yankees Before Gerrit Cole

MLB: San Diego Padres at New York Yankees, carlos rodon — Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

Everyone’s expectation for Carlos Rodon was that he would return to the Yankees’ rotation before Gerrit Cole, but a hamstring issue put that into question due to the uncertainty around its severity.

Since the initial setback the Yankees have seem unconcerned with the issue, and if Rodon is able to smoothly get through this live bullpen session, he should be on-track to return before Gerrit Cole.

The 2023 AL Cy Young winner took a massive step towards his return yesterday when he delivered 4.1 IP for the Somerset Patriots, the Yankees’ Double-A affiliate.

Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) pitches during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images — Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Rodon was a key cog in the 2025 Yankees’ success despite not having the aforementioned veteran ace, pitching to a 3.09 ERA across 33 starts as the no. 2 starter behind Max Fried.

Signed to a six-year $162 million deal after the 2022 season, his awful debut season in 2023 has been washed away by a mid-career turnaround that has come with adding new pitches and re-defining his style of pitching.

Adding Carlos Rodon and later Gerrit Cole could be the shot in the arm that the Yankees need to get red-hot and start ripping off wins, as they’ve slowed down considerably since their 7-1 start.