The New York Yankees were anticipating a return for star left-hander Carlos Rodon sometime in April, but the timeline for his 2026 regular-season debut could be pushed back after another injury issue was revealed on Tuesday, March 31.
Manager Aaron Boone told reporters, including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, that Rodon experienced hamstring tightness during his rehab. “We’ll see what we have there,” Boone said. Rodon was slated to make a rehab start at Double-A as he works his way back from an offseason procedure to remove bone chips from his elbow. He had recently tossed 50 pitches in a live batting practice session.
Rodon opened the season on the injured list, as expected. His initial timeline put him back in the majors sometime in May, but a quick recovery had bumped that estimate up to April. The hamstring setback could dash those plans.
Carlos Rodon Injury Update: Hamstring Issue Could Halt Return to New York Yankees
It’s a brutal development for Rodon and the Yankees. The club is already missing Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt, who are both recovering from Tommy John surgery. New York opted for a four-man rotation to begin the season. Max Fried took the ball on Opening Day, followed by exciting young righty Cam Schlittler. Will Warren grabbed the No. 3 spot. Trade acquisition Ryan Weathers rounded out the group. Luis Gil, the projected fifth starter, was surprisingly sent down shortly before the season began.
Rodon was a lynchpin in the rotation last season. He made a career-high 33 starts and pitched to a 3.06 ERA. Rodon matched Fried for the team lead with 195.1 innings pitched. The lone blemish on his 2025 campaign was the postseason. The lefty was pounded for nine earned runs in two playoff outings.
The Yankees have gotten off to a strong start on the mound. After allowing just one run in a sweep over the San Francisco Giants, the squad limited the Seattle Mariners to two tallies in a matchup on Monday, March 30. After one turn through the rotation, the Yankees lead the league in starting pitcher ERA at 0.89. The bullpen has also been superb. New York paces the league with a 0.76 team ERA.
Rodon Setback Could Push Him Behind Cole
Cole was expected to be well behind Rodon in returning to the big leagues. He underwent his surgery in March 2025. The typical recovery timeline from Tommy John is 12-14 months, so Cole wasn’t expected to be ready for Opening Day. He surprisingly progressed enough to make a handful of spring appearances. Cole allowed one earned run over 2.2 innings during Spring Training.
Schmidt had his surgery in July 2025, so he’s well behind the other starters. The righty is uncertain to return at all during the 2026 campaign. Schmidt is on the 60-day injured list, whereas Rodon and Cole are both on the 15-day IL.
The Yankees can easily shift to a standard five-man rotation when Cole or Rodon is ready to return. The questions will arise when both pitchers are healthy. Warren and Weathers both pitched well in their first outings of the season. If both are excelling into May, New York might have to consider a six-man rotation.
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