Last year, it was Gerrit Cole; this year, it is Carlos Rodon for the Yankees. Last year, the Yankees missed Cole for the entire season, and the result was terrible. Their pitching staff ranked 14th in 2025 with a 3.91 ERA. Now that Cole is about to return, the Yankees are on the verge of losing Rodon for an extended time! Just as Rodon was reported to start his first rehab later this week, the new injury update is just what was not needed for the Yankees right now.

“I don’t know if it’s going to slow him at all, but it could be something,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before Tuesday night’s game in Seattle. “So, we’ll see what we have there.”

If Boone’s projection comes true, it would be a huge blow for the Yankees. Last year, Rodon had his best season as a Yankee. He pitched to an 18-9 record and a 3.09 ERA, en route to his third All-Star selection. In the absence of Cole and Luis Gil, Rodon and Max Fried led the rotation.

However, Rodon’s injury came to light in February when he revealed that he played the entire 2025 season with elbow pain. He reportedly underwent surgery to shave down a bone spur and remove loose bodies.

After that, Rodon started targeting an April return. However, now, as per Boone, Rodon developed a hamstring tightness while running that could extend his recovery period. Rodon recently threw 50 pitches against live batters and was scheduled to hit the field with the Double-A Somerset this week. But now, the projected return of the $162 million arm will be delayed.

While the exact delay in return is not confirmed yet, the Yankees’ pitching depth would get tested just at the beginning of the season, much like what happened last year. While Cole hit the mound in the spring, he is reportedly still months away from his MLB debut. “Gerrit Cole, a little more likely later on, maybe May or June timetable for him,” MLB.com’s Jon Morosi said.

So, for now, if Rodon’s return gets delayed to May and Cole comes back in June, the Yankees would be without two elite arms for the next two months.

The Yankees’ pitching depth is again in the limelight

Last year, the Yankees faced the same scene after losing Gil and Cole. Boone managed by creating a rotation of Fried, Will Warren, Cam Schlittler, and Marcus Stroman. And surely enough, the strategy was not seamless at all. Stroman blew it up with a 6.23 ERA before the Yankees released him. This year, there are nearly the same options for Boone.

Fried took over as the starter in the opening game, and the rotation consisted of Warren, Schlittler, and Ryan Weathers. While Gil’s availability is a positive thing for the Yankees, his struggles from limited innings last year were clearly visible. He finished with a 3.32 ERA with 41 SOs. Remember the game against the Marlins when Gil allowed five runs in just 3.1 innings.

Boone would certainly hope the same doesn’t repeat this year. Meanwhile, Weathers’s struggle in the spring, especially against the Blue Jays, where he gave up 7 runs, would be another sour point for the Yankees. Although Weathers’ regular-season debut for the Yankees was better, with 7 SOs and 1 run against the Mariners.

Hence, Boone has a few names to test before Cole and Rodon come back. But one more injury would bring disaster to the team. Currently, the Yankees are leading the AL East with a 4-1 record. But we can’t help but remember how they blew up their initial dominance by mid-season in 2025. Hopefully, Boone would handle the circumstances better this time.