The season has not even started, and the New York Yankees already look like they are done. After Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole remain unavailable for opening day, another pitcher might be joining the list.

Aaron Boone has revealed that Cam Schlittler is not looking comfortable.

As reported by Bryan Hoch, “Cam Schlittler has ‘felt a tweak here and there’ and is dealing with inflammation in the middle of his back, Aaron Boone said. They are going to keep him off the mound for now, but he will continue throwing.”

Schlittler, himself, had mentioned that he has been dealing with the issue for a few weeks, but the righty has “zero” concern. He has even pointed to discomfort in his left lat muscle. Yet, Cam remains positive.

He is hopeful to resume work on the mound from next week while ensuring to stay “on top of it.”

In 73 innings in 2025, the 25‑year‑old posted a 2.96 ERA with 84 strikeouts and 31 walks, numbers that helped lock him into the Yankees’ 2026 rotation. His postseason peak came with 12 strikeouts and no walks over eight scoreless Wild Card innings, a first in MLB history.

Now, Boone has mentioned that the minor back issue could push back Schlittler’s Grapefruit League mound debut. But he remains day‑to‑day while continuing his throwing program on flat ground. The strain likely came from Schlittler being ahead of schedule this spring. He’s one of the few pitchers in camp to have already thrown a two-inning live batting practice session at the club’s Minor League complex.

Meanwhile, the Yankees’ rotation is already stretched thin with Carlos Rodón not ready until late April or early May after offseason elbow surgery, and Gerrit Cole likely returning around May/June.

So, this early setback for Schlittler adds pressure because few other starters provide the same impact as his 2025 breakout.

Cole’s comeback from Tommy John surgery, if it happens by mid‑season, should bolster the staff, but won’t help the early months. Even Clarke Schmidt remains out after a second Tommy John surgery last season.

If Schlittler misses early action, players like Max Fried, Will Warren, Ryan Weathers, or Ryan Yarbrough could see extended roles to hold innings while the injured return.

Fried’s strong 2025 with a 2.86 ERA and 189 strikeouts in 195.1 innings now becomes even more crucial.

The team will surely test its depth as they try to avoid early-season rotation instability.

The hope is that with careful management of Cam Schlittler’s back, he returns soon to give New York the arm they need.

Yankees fans suffer another setback with Cam Schlittler

Sighing fans joked, “Cashman tomorrow: ‘We’re looking at getting Schlittler back in July as a big deadline deal’” like a weary punchline because Yankees leadership has detailed expected rehab steps rather than exact game dates. In 2012, Brian Cashman confidently said that they would fix Mariano Rivera’s season-ending knee issue after his injury; the legend would be back in 2013, showing how the GM sometimes projects long‑term returns before they happen. Even in Stanton’s elbow struggles, Cashman shared projected near-term rehab progress before setting final timelines, illustrating that optimistic timelines are part of Yankees injury updates.

Fans biting their nails stated, “and they wanted to run it back, well that’s what you get for running it back,” because New York’s front office barely reshaped the roster this winter. General Manager Brian Cashman, defending the strategy, insisted the team wasn’t simply rerunning last year’s squad. This is despite a few major additions beyond internal continuity. Aaron Boone and Cashman publicly backed holding onto much of last year’s core, even as critics argued that the team needed fresh arms after a quiet offseason.

Another social media voice chimed, “Here we go…it never ends with this team. Made of glass.” The franchise has seen a long string of injuries recently, including Gerrit Cole’s Tommy John surgery in March 2025 and Carlos Rodón’s elbow surgery to remove a bone spur, with both missing the start of 2026. Even Clarke Schmidt underwent the Tommy John procedure. This sidelines him into the middle of next season, adding to New York’s injury woes.

Then some showed frustration, “They should have signed Imai. Yankees need to get Gallen,” poking at the club’s free‑agent winter choices. Rumors said New York eyed Tatsuya Imai, a Japanese ace who posted a 1.92 ERA over 163.2 innings with 178 strikeouts in 2025, but reports later suggested they didn’t engage with him meaningfully. Meanwhile, Zac Gallen remains one of the few big‑league starters still unsigned as spring training begins. This backdrop fuels fan talk that the Yankees must pursue a start‑of‑season arm like Gallen “by hook or crook” after missing out on top pitching targets.

Fans mocked today, saying, “When I was 22… not even 24 hours, and he’s hurt,” highlighting how young athletes seem fragile now. A recent MLB report showed pitcher injuries have climbed sharply across all levels, with placements on the injured list rising from 212 in 2005 to 485 in 2024. Medical experts link this to players pushing velocity and throwing year‑round. This increases stress on arms from youth leagues up through the majors. Young pitchers today often start high‑effort throwing early and specialize in baseball only, which studies show raises serious injury risks compared to multisport athletes.