NEW YORK — The New York Yankees need rotation help after Carlos Rodon’s elbow surgery.
Gerrit Cole is still working back from Tommy John surgery in last March. Clarke Schmidt had the same surgery in July and is projected for a second-half return in 2026. The Yankees rotation looks thin. The need for starting pitching is urgent.
General manager Brian Cashman acknowledged the challenge, though he did not commit to a firm path.
But the Yankees timing is difficult. Now they must find alternatives. Here are six veteran arms who fit the Yankees need while Rodon heals.
Brewers ace emerges as frontrunner
The Milwaukee Brewers will listen on All-Star right-hander Freddy Peralta. The 29-year-old went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA in 2025. He made his second All-Star team and struck out 204 in 176 2/3 innings. His deal includes an $8 million club option for 2026. That team-friendly price boosts his appeal for the Yankees.
Reports from The Athletic say the Brewers will gauge Peralta’s market. This winter’s free agent class for starters is thin. Milwaukee, swept in the NLCS by the Dodgers, could consider a retool. The Yankees have emerged as a strong suitor. While Yankees chatter often centers on Tarik Skubal, Peralta may be the cleaner fit this offseason.
For the Yankees, Peralta is cost-effective compared to top free agents. He would still require a strong package of at least two top-10 prospects.
Peralta is close to a sure thing the Yankees could slot near the top. Because Peralta would be a rental, the Yankees might not swap George Lombard Jr. or Spencer Jones. But since Peralta also fits the Yankees payroll and leaves room to address other needs, they maybe open to trading Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, Roderick Arias, and Carlos Lagrange.
Former Yankee could return home
Michael King became a top-end starter after the Yankees sent him to San Diego in the Juan Soto trade. He placed seventh in NL Cy Young voting in 2024 before injuries limited him in 2025. He still posted 0.8 fWAR while missing about half the season. The move from the bullpen to a full-time rotation role worked with the Padres.
The 31-year-old from Rochester hits free agency this winter. His sinker and slider have elite movement. His command of four pitches stands out. Sports Illustrated projects a deal near $90 million. He misses bats, holds velocity, and could land an even larger contract.
King had been trending toward another big year before injuries. The Yankees should explore a reunion. King knows New York. The Yankees know his makeup and fit. He posted a 2.75 ERA in his last Yankees season, though most of that came in relief. His San Diego jump to a frontline starter proved the projection the Yankees once had.
The price will be the question. King has shown he can carry innings as a starter when healthy. His value is up since leaving the Bronx. Still, the Yankees need ready arms. A reunion could stabilize the Yankees rotation without a massive long-term risk.
Injury-prone veteran offers upside
Tyler Mahle is a buy-low option with upside for the Yankees. The Rangers right-hander is a free agent after a 2.18 ERA in 16 starts in 2025. He missed the back half of the season as Texas fell out of the race. Even so, Mahle posted 2.1 bWAR in 86.2 innings.
Durability is the concern. The 31-year-old has not reached 20 starts since 2022. He has topped 130 innings once, in 2021 with Cincinnati. He took a smaller deal with Texas last winter because of injury questions. After performing well when healthy, his value has risen. He is healthy now and pitching well.
The Yankees were scrambling for starters late in 2025. Depth is essential if the Yankees want a return to the playoffs in 2026. A one-year prove-it deal would make sense for Mahle and the Yankees. His 2025 pay was just over $16 million. A similar number in 2026 is plausible given the missed time.
At that price, the Yankees can take the gamble. Mahle would not be asked to carry the Yankees staff. He would slot behind Max Fried and cover innings until Cole and Rodon return. If healthy, he’s strong value for the Yankees. If not, the Yankees avoid a long commitment.
Veteran with international experience
Merrill Kelly fits the Yankees on performance and poise. The 37-year-old worked through the NL West for six and a half years before a deadline trade to the Rangers. He has handled elite lineups. That experience matters in the AL East and for the Yankees.
Kelly rebuilt his career in Korea after failing to crack a big league roster early. Since returning, he has been steady. He owns a 3.77 career MLB ERA and posted a 3.52 ERA in 2025. He has reached 158 or more innings in four of the past five seasons. That kind of reliability is what the Yankees need right now.
A one-year or two-year deal at mid-level money should do it. Kelly would not break the bank. He would bring stability and leadership to the Yankees clubhouse. He knows how to pitch and navigate tough orders. Those traits can help the Yankees weather injury waves.
Stealing from a rival
Chris Bassitt gives the Yankees a way to improve while weakening the Blue Jays. The 36-year-old could reach free agency. Toronto has rotation choices to make, especially with young arms like Trey Yesavage pushing up. That could put Bassitt in play.
Bassitt checks many boxes that the Yankees want. He has succeeded in the AL East. He is durable, with at least 157 innings in each of the last five seasons and over 170 in the last four. He should be affordable and not require a long deal. He fell out of the Jays’ playoff rotation, which may lower his price.
The Yankees know Bassitt well. They have seen him often. There would be little adjustment. Signing him would help the Yankees rotation and keep him away from Toronto. It is a clean fit for the Yankees if the market cooperates.
The versatile swingman
Nick Martinez could give the Yankees versatility. Like Kelly, Martinez went overseas and rebuilt his career in Japan’s NPB. Since returning, he has become a valuable swingman. That role has real value for the Yankees in 2026.
Martinez made 42 appearances for the Reds in 2024, with 16 starts. He posted a 3.10 ERA in 142.1 innings. Cincinnati gave him the qualifying offer, which he accepted. In 2025 he made 20 starts in 40 games and had a 4.45 ERA.
That was his first MLB season over a 3.47 ERA since returning from Japan. It was also his most starts in a big league season. He grades better in relief than in the rotation, with a career 2.87 ERA out of the bullpen and 4.59 as a starter. Some of that starter number traces back to early-career struggles with Texas. He has posted sub-4 ERAs as a starter in two of the last three years, including a 2.32 in 2023 with San Diego.
If Rodon is only out a few weeks to start 2026, Martinez can cover early starts for the Yankees. He can then shift to the bullpen and strengthen a unit that needs help. If injuries hit again, he can move back into the Yankees rotation. That flexibility would reduce roster churn and give the Yankees two roles in one signing.
The path forward
The Yankees must decide between trades and free agency. Internal choices exist. Will Warren made 32 starts in 2025 and offers depth. Ryan Yarbrough can swing between roles, which makes him a useful Yankees re-sign candidate.
Prospects are close. Brendan Beck posted a 3.36 ERA across 26 games between Double-A and Triple-A. Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz struck out 173 in 145 innings. Carlos Lagrange is another name nearing the majors. The Yankees have arms on the way, but Rodon’s injury shows how fast plans can change. With Cole’s timeline uncertain and Schmidt out until midseason, the Yankees need help from outside.
Whether it is a trade for Peralta, a reunion with King, a value play on Mahle, a steady hand like Kelly or Bassitt, or the flexibility of Martinez, the Yankees feel the pressure to act. Standing pat would be risky. The Yankees have built depth in the system. Now Cashman must choose between dealing from that depth or buying short-term stability. Spring training arrives fast. The Yankees clock is ticking.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
A guy like Michael King or Nick Martinez make most sense from your 6, but with Rodón scheduled to be back by May 15, and Cole before July 1, I can also see the Yankees re-signing both Yarbrough and Blackburn and see between them or one of the kids (Beck, ERC, Lagrange) could step up, as I expect all 3 kids to be added to the 40 man roster next month.