If there’s one team stealing the spotlight this offseason, it’s the Orioles. After finishing dead last in the division in 2025, Baltimore has wasted no time flipping the script. Notably, they made the biggest splash at the Winter Meetings by locking up slugger Pete Alonso on a five-year, $155 million deal. And now, the focus has shifted to the team’s biggest weakness: pitching.

Well, the Orioles ranked 25th in ERA last season, and the rotation clearly needed some serious help. And that process is already underway with landing Josh Walker from the Braves, purchasing the contracts of right-handers Carter Baumler and Justin Armbruester. And now, as per Yankees insider Gary Sheffield Jr., “Michael King to the Orioles is the right move. Matter of time.”

But despite the Orioles pouring big money into upgrading their rotation, former Yankee Clint Frazier isn’t convinced. In his view, the Bombers still boast the best rotation in baseball.

“I think that the Yankees’ starting rotation might be the best in baseball. I really do, I know that might come as a surprise for some people to hear that I’m talking them up, that I’m going to be giving the Yankees their flowers, but I think that Brian Cashman and company have really put together a really strong starting rotation,”

Let’s take a closer look at how the Yankees’ starting rotation is shaping up right now. Because on paper, it’s still pretty intimidating.

It all starts with Gerrit Cole. Losing him to Tommy John surgery during spring training completely altered the Yankees’ 2025 season. Things only got worse when Clarke Schmidt went down with the same injury a few months later. The good news? Cole’s rehab is right on track. He’s progressing well and is expected back within the first couple of months of the 2026 season.

Then there’s Carlos Rodón, who posted a 3.09 ERA over 195.1 innings, showing the consistency the Yankees had been hoping for when they signed him.

Max Fried might be the real anchor, though. He finished with a 2.86 ERA across 195.1 innings and an elite 52.4 percent ground-ball rate. Fried is projected to lead the staff again in 2026, and when you pair him with a healthy Cole and a locked-in Rodón, the Yankees suddenly have one of the best top threes in the game.

And if that veteran trio isn’t enough, the youth movement makes things even more exciting. Cam Schlittler emerged as a breakout star at just 24, posting a 2.96 ERA over 73 innings in his rookie season and proving he can handle big-league hitters.

So while the Orioles have made some serious offseason noise, the Yankees’ rotation still looks like it could be more effective overall, especially if they can finally get a season without major injuries.

The Yankees are still not done arming their rotation

Well, if you think the Yankees’ current rotation is good enough to roll into the new season, think again. We’ve already seen how quickly things can fall apart when injuries hit, and that’s exactly why the front office isn’t done adding arms yet.

That’s where things could get interesting, especially with the Orioles potentially entering the picture.

While Baltimore is being projected as a landing spot for Michael King, a reunion with the Yankees is very much on the table. Over the past two seasons with the Padres, King has been excellent. He posted a 3.10 ERA with 277 SOs in 247 innings across 46 appearances. So, that’s solid production, and he’d make a lot of sense in the Yankees.

With Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt all starting 2026 on the injured list, the Yankees won’t have their full rotation available early on. Thus, adding King would help stabilize things right out of the gate. It would take pressure off the rest of the staff.

However, the big question is money. The Yankees are still in the mix for Cody Bellinger. And with King projected to cost around $57 million, it’ll be worth watching how they choose to allocate their resources. Still, if they do pull the trigger, the best rotation in the league might somehow get even better.