The New York Yankees will begin the 2026 campaign with mostly the same roster as the prior season. It is safe to say that the lack of alterations to the squad has been met with skepticism. In fact, early predictions hint that the Yankees could just be fighting for a wild-card spot in the upcoming playoffs.
One thing that is almost certain is that New York will still smash the baseball this season. The Bronx Bombers led the league in runs, home runs, and OPS in 2025. Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Jazz Chisholm will continue to lead their team to the top of the hitting charts. The biggest concern for the Yankees, however, comes down to their pitching staff.
On paper, New York’s starting rotation is very formidable. After all, they have two undisputed aces in Max Fried and Gerrit Cole, as well as Carlos Rodon, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, Luis Gil, and Ryan Weathers. Nevertheless, both Cole and Rodon are still recovering from injuries and will not be ready for opening day. Cole’s health, in particular, could end up being critical to his team’s success in 2026.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan has even claimed that the Yankees’ upcoming season essentially hinges on Cole. As the reporter points out, New York’s healthy starters have mostly looked very solid in spring training. Adding the former Cy Young award winner to the top of the rotation could put the team over the top in the American League.
Gerrit Cole Could Return to New York Yankees Rotation Earlier Than Expected
GettyGerrit Cole has not pitched in a meaningful game since the 2024 World Series.
The Yankees surely do not want to rush Cole back too soon. He has not pitched in an official MLB game since the 2024 World Series. After missing all of 2025 due to Tommy John surgery, Cole is expected to return at some point in May or June. New York just needs their ace to be healthy enough to be ready for a lengthy playoff push later in the year. Despite this, the club recently received some positive news regarding the star.
According to a report by The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty, Cole completed an impressive mound session on March 12. The pitcher increased his pitch count to 35 and even hit 96 MPH on the radar gun. After facing multiple hitters, Cole told reporters that he was happy with his outing. He even suggested that he could see real action before spring training ends. The team’s final preseason game is on March 24.
Yankees Need Veteran to be Healthy in the Fall
While the news regarding Cole’s health is positive, longevity is the key here. Without their ace, Yankees pitchers struggled in the most recent postseason. After taking care of the Boston Red Sox, New York was crushed by the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Divisional Series. The eventual A.L champions scored a total of 34 runs in four games against the Yankees.
During his career, Cole has proven to be a very reliable pitcher in the postseason. In 22 combined playoff appearances, the ace has posted a 2.77 ERA and 156 strikeouts in 133 total innings. Cole potentially being ahead of schedule in his lengthy return from surgery is obviously great news. New York, however, will surely be careful to ease the ace back to action with the postseason in mind.
Yankees Success Hinges on Health of 35-year-old Star