The New York Yankees received some positive news on the injury front as the 2026 season approaches. New York is already set to enter the campaign without two of their top starting pitchers. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon are both recovering from surgery and will miss the start of the season. Rodon is expected to return in May, while Cole will slot back in just ahead of the All-Star break.
It was recently revealed that fellow starter Cam Schlittler was still dealing with an ongoing lat issue. The now 25-year-old hurler first experienced the problem in the summer of 2025, but attempted to pitch through the pain. Despite the injury, he did post impressive numbers in his rookie campaign. In 14 appearances, Schlittler recorded a 2.96 ERA, to go along with 84 strikeouts in 73 innings.
The ongoing issue is certainly a concern for New York, especially with two key starters already on the shelf. The aforementioned report also suggested that the injury may even be a long-term concern for the club. Despite this, the Yankees have attempted to downplay the setback.
The New York Post, however, is claiming that Schlittler passed a significant test on February 25. According to the outlet, the pitcher threw 25 pitches during a practice in Florida. It was the first time in weeks that he faced hitters. Jon Heyman has since reported that the starter came out of the small outing unscathed. As a result, Yankees manager Aaron Boone expects Schlittler to be ready for opening day.
New York Yankees Expected to Ease Cam Schlittler into Role
GettyA healthy Cam Schlittler will be an important piece of the puzzle for the Yankees in 2026.
New York will likely be patient with Schlittler at the start of the 2026 season. After the pitcher’s most recent mound session, Boone told The New York Post that he is unlikely to throw 80 or 90 pitches. “I’ll take 70 pitches of Cam Schlittler, especially with some of the off-days you have,” claimed Boone. “Even if you’re in a piggyback situation for a time or two, sign me up for that.”
As Boone suggests, the Yankees will have a somewhat light schedule to start the campaign. In fact, New York has four days off between opening the season and when they play their 10th game. Because of this, the club does not necessarily even have to use five starting pitchers during this timeframe.
If completely healthy, MLB.com has predicted that Schlittler will be New York’s number two starter as of opening day. Nevertheless, the situation would obviously change once Cole and Rodon rejoin the rotation. Max Fried remains the club’s ace ahead of Schlittler in the pecking order.
Pitching Will be Crucial to the Yankees Success in 2026
The Yankees are expected to have one of the top starting rotations in all of baseball in 2026. This, of course, hinges on the health of the three aforementioned pitchers. New York recorded 62 total quality starts in 2025, the 10th-best figure in Major League Baseball. Cole, however, missed the entire season, and Schlittler is expected to take a significant step forward after a quality rookie campaign.
New York has been criticized for running it back with nearly the same roster as a year ago. Despite these concerns, the Yankees are clearly banking on a healthy pitching staff to give themselves a boost in 2026. The lineup did manage to post the most runs and home runs in the league a season ago.
Yankees Receive Positive Injury Update on Key Pitcher