Carlos Rodón's road back to the Bronx hit another bump Tuesday night, as the veteran left-hander surrendered six runs in what is expected to be his final minor league rehab start for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The outing wasn't exactly the clean finish the Yankees were hoping for, but the big picture remains clear: Rodón is on the verge of rejoining the big league rotation.
Manager Aaron Boone confirmed before New York's series opener against Texas that Rodón is likely to make his 2026 season debut this weekend in Milwaukee. That's welcome news for a Yankees team that has been navigating a patchwork rotation to start the year.
Tuesday's start at Worcester was a mixed bag. Rodón allowed seven hits and five earned runs over 6⅓ innings, striking out four and walking two while throwing 83 pitches. The trouble started early when Mickey Gasper took him deep on a changeup for a two-run homer in the first. Kristian Campbell added a solo shot off a slider in the sixth. The final line: 7.11 ERA across his three Triple-A outings—not exactly vintage Rodón, but the stuff and health are trending in the right direction.
The 33-year-old opened the season on the 15-day injured list after undergoing surgery last October to remove loose bodies from his left elbow and shave a bone spur. A late-March setback involving right hamstring tightness during a throwing session in Florida further delayed his return. But after signing a six-year, $162 million deal with the Yankees in December 2022, Rodón has shown he can be a frontline arm when healthy—winning 34 games over the last two seasons after a injury-marred 2023.
Tuesday's game also featured another notable rehab appearance: Gerrit Cole, the 2023 AL Cy Young winner, made his fourth minor league start for High-A Hudson Valley as he works back from reconstructive elbow surgery performed last March. Cole allowed six runs and seven hits over 4⅓ innings against Winston-Salem, surrendering solo homers to Caleb Bonemer and Kyle Lodise while striking out four on 69 pitches. The Yankees expect Cole to need a few more starts before making his season debut—targeting a return in late May or early June. His last big league appearance came in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series against the Dodgers.
In a silver lining for Yankees fans, Anthony Volpe went 2-for-4 in the same game as Rodón. The shortstop was sent to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after his 20-day rehab window expired Sunday, following October surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Volpe, who hit .250 last season, is another key piece inching closer to a return.
With Rodón's debut on the horizon and Cole's comeback progressing, the Yankees' rotation is slowly taking shape. For a team with World Series aspirations, every step forward counts.