The New York Yankees are entering the 2025 season facing a significant pitching crisis after their ace Gerrit Cole underwent Tommy John surgery. With their Cy Young winner sidelined for the entire season, the Bronx Bombers must quickly reconfigure their starting rotation before they host the Milwaukee Brewers on March 27 for Opening Day.
Despite acquiring marquee free agent Max Fried with expectations he would complement Cole at the top of the rotation, manager Aaron Boone has indicated the southpaw is unlikely to start the season opener. This leaves the Yankees exploring other options, including Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt, or veteran Carlos Carrasco for the prestigious first-game assignment.
Cole’s surgery forces Yankees’ dramatic rotation shuffle
The Yankees received the devastating news last week when Cole opted for Tommy John surgery after experiencing persistent elbow discomfort throughout spring training. The procedure effectively eliminates Cole for the 2025 season and potentially impacts the early portion of 2026 as well.
This development has disrupted the Yankees‘ carefully structured rotation plans. Originally, Fried was scheduled for the second game on March 29, but adjusting his schedule for an Opening Day start appears problematic according to Boone.
“Not necessarily,” Boone said when asked if Fried would be the Opening Day starter. “Because of when Gerrit went down, everyone is kind of slotted, so it might not line up that way. We’ll continue to work through this.”
Who is start for Yankees on Opening Day
With Fried likely unavailable for the season opener, the Yankees are considering several potential replacements.
Carlos Rodon appears to be a leading candidate. The left-hander, following a disappointing 2024 campaign, has made two spring appearances plus a recent live batting practice session. Based on the current schedule, he would have extra rest heading into March 27, positioning him well for the Yankees’ Game 1 assignment.
Clarke Schmidt represents another possibility, though his preparation remains slightly behind schedule after lower back stiffness delayed his spring debut. The right-hander recently made his first Grapefruit League appearance, throwing 38 pitches across 1.2 innings. While he initially planned to join the Yankees rotation for the sixth game, circumstances may accelerate his timeline.
The dark horse candidate is Carlos Carrasco, a 37-year-old veteran in camp on a minor-league contract. The right-hander started Sunday’s game and could provide the Yankees manager with an unexpected solution.
“I should have an announcement pretty quick on that, but I want to make sure we get through the next couple days,” Boone said.
Is Fried under pressure?
Though unlikely to pitch on the Yankees’ Opening Day, Fried now inherits the mantle of staff leader in Cole’s absence. The two-time All-Star, who signed an eight-year, $218 million contract with New York this winter, had anticipated forming an elite tandem with Cole—a partnership now postponed until at least 2026.
Fried expressed sympathy for his sidelined Yankees teammate while acknowledging the disappointment of their delayed collaboration.
“With Gerrit, I feel for him,” Fried said. “It stinks. He’s a competitor and he wants to be out there. He definitely didn’t take this decision lightly. I was really excited to be able to share a dugout and be able to play with him. It’ll just be delayed a little bit.”
Despite the Yankees’ elevated expectations now resting on his shoulders, Fried remains focused on authenticity rather than attempting to fill Cole’s considerable void.
“As far as any kind of pressures, at the end of the day, no one here is Gerrit Cole,” Fried said. “Realistically, it’s just about doing my job. It’s about going out there and making sure that when I take the ball, we have a really good chance to win that day. I have to be Max Fried. I can’t try to fill anyone else’s shoes.”
Fried’s track record suggests he’s more than capable of leading a rotation. Throughout eight seasons with Atlanta, he compiled an impressive 73-36 record with a 3.25 ERA. His career winning percentage (.670) actually exceeds Cole’s (.657), and his 2024 performance (11-10, 3.25 ERA) ranked among the NL’s elite despite limited innings due to injuries.
After making just one spring appearance thus far—allowing two runs over 2.1 innings against Pittsburgh—Fried is scheduled to face Detroit on Thursday.
Cole-less Yankees’ pitching outlook for 2025
With both Cole and Luis Gil (sidelined until midseason with a lat strain) unavailable, the Yankees will rely on Fried, Rodón, Schmidt, and offseason acquisition Marcus Stroman. Competition remains ongoing for the fifth rotation spot, with rookie Will Warren challenging Carrasco for the final position.
Boone expressed comfort with potentially using Fried and Rodon consecutively in the rotation despite both being left-handed.
“They’re very different in how they go about it,” Boone said. “Maybe if they were very similar, I’d be more inclined to split them up, but there’s a good chance you could see them back-to-back.”
Despite these setbacks, Fried maintains confidence in the Yankees’ overall outlook.
“Everyone’s going to deal with injuries at a certain point in the season,” Fried said. “It just depends on how much time you have left. For us, we still have a full season, and we still have a lot of really talented, great players in this locker room that we’re confident that when you step between the lines, we’re capable of beating the other team.”
The path forward
With Opening Day rapidly approaching, the Yankees must finalize their rotation plans imminently. Boone is expected to reveal the Opening Day starter within days.
Regardless of who gets the first assignment, Fried emerges as the Yankees’ most critical pitcher for 2025. His performance and Rodon’s potential resurgence will largely determine how effectively the Yankees navigate this season without their ace.
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One correction for you. This makes it sound like we just acquired Stroman for this season, but we signed him before last season. He did have 1 really good month (May) but everything else was a struggle.