The Yankees have officially named Carlos Rodon their Opening Day starter, Aaron Boone announced Friday. He’ll take the ball against the Brewers on March 27 at Yankee Stadium, stepping into a role that was expected to belong to Gerrit Cole before his season-ending elbow injury.
Rodon steps in with Cole out
Carlos Rodon, 32, gets his second career Opening Day start and first with the Yankees. It’s a pivotal year for him after an uneven first two seasons in the Bronx. A disastrous 2023 led to skepticism about his long-term outlook, but he made strides last year, finishing with a 3.96 ERA over a career-high 32 starts. The Yankees need him to take another step forward, especially with Cole out for the season.
“Really excited to give him the ball,” Boone said, via Newsday’s Erik Boland. “He’s in the right frame of mind and throwing the ball well right now. He’s excited to do it, and then at the end of the day, it’s just the first one.”
Cole’s absence was always going to force the Yankees to pivot, but the expectation was that newly signed left-hander Max Fried could slot into the No. 1 spot. Instead, the Yankees are keeping Fried on his scheduled track and slotting him in for Game 2 on March 29.
Yankees banking on a big year from Carlos Rodon
Carlos Rodon will be the 57th pitcher in franchise history to start on Opening Day. Cole had been the guy for four straight years before last season’s elbow trouble. His five Opening Day starts rank behind only Whitey Ford, Ron Guidry, Mel Stottlemyre, Lefty Gomez, Red Ruffing, and CC Sabathia in Yankees history.
This is the moment the Yankees signed Carlos Rodon for—a high-end arm to pair with Cole. But his first year in pinstripes was a disaster. He bounced back last year, but he wasn’t the dominant version of himself that the White Sox and Giants saw in 2021-22. His postseason was a mixed bag. He had two solid starts in the ALCS against the Guardians but struggled against the Royals in the ALDS and Dodgers in the World Series. The Yankees need more consistency from him, and they’ll need it right away.
Yankees’ rotation without Cole
With Cole down and Luis Gil sidelined for the first couple of months, the Yankees’ rotation will start the year with Carlos Rodon, Fried, Clarke Schmidt, Marcus Stroman, and a yet-to-be-determined fifth starter. Will Warren is among the internal options to fill that role.
Fried’s presence takes some pressure off Rodon, but the Yankees need him to be more than just a mid-rotation piece. If he pitches like an ace, the Yankees should be in good shape. If he doesn’t, they’ll be scrambling early.
Opening Day is a nice benchmark, but it’s just one of 162 games. Carlos Rodon can make an early statement, but the real test will be sustaining it over a full season. With Cole out, the Yankees will need him to be a stabilizer at the top of the rotation. Anything less, and their championship aspirations could take an early hit.
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