BRIDGEWATER, N.J. — For months, the Yankees have answered questions about their injured stars with vague timelines and cautious optimism.
This week, the picture sharpened. The most immediate development came on a minor league mound, where Carlos Rodon may have thrown his last rehab pitch before rejoining the rotation.
Rodon made his second rehab start Thursday at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, and it went far better than his first. Facing the New Hampshire lineup, he allowed two hits and one walk while striking out seven over 58 pitches, 41 for strikes. He generated 15 swings and misses.
The outing was a sharp turnaround. In his first rehab appearance last Saturday with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Rodon gave up three runs over 2 2/3 innings. This time, the stuff looked like the version the Yankees have leaned on all year.
Rodon said the plan was simple and that he trusts his ability against major league hitters. He spoke after the start about his mindset on the mound.
“I feel like I’m always ready to get big league hitters out,” Rodon told reporters after his outing. “The goal was to go out there and throw as many strikes as I could and be efficient.”
He stopped short of declaring himself back, leaving the next step to the team. He made clear he wants to return but is not setting the timeline himself.
“As far as what’s next, not sure,” Rodon said. “I’d love to go out there, compete and help our team win, but that is not up to me.”
A piggyback plan and a loaded rotation
Rodon has been limited to nine starts this season, going 4-2 with a 3.30 ERA and 52 strikeouts over 46 1/3 innings. Offseason surgery to remove a bone spur in his left elbow delayed his debut until May 10, and injuries have interrupted his year since.
To manage his workload on the way back, the Yankees are considering a piggyback approach. The idea is to have another starter, possibly Ryan Weathers or Will Warren, pitch behind Rodon as he builds back up. Rodon said he is comfortable with whatever role the team chooses.
“I’m willing to do whatever to help our team win,” Rodon said. “If they think that’s the avenue they want to go, I’m ready to perform and help our team win.”
His return would deepen a rotation that has carried the Yankees through their offensive drought. Cam Schlittler has pitched his way into Cy Young Award consideration. Gerrit Cole has been dominant in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. Fried has been steady since returning from his own elbow injury.
A September target for two missing bats
The other major update concerns the lineup. According to a report from Jon Heyman, the current estimate has Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton returning around Sept. 1. That would hand the Yankees two impact bats for the final month.
Bellinger is the steadier bet. He was hitting .259 with a .350 on-base percentage, 11 home runs, 53 RBIs and 21 doubles in 102 games before straining his left hamstring July 25 in Philadelphia. The injury was a Grade 2 strain with a four-to-six-week timetable, which lines up with a Sept. 1 return. He has resumed baseball activities but still must run and handle the outfield without favoring the leg.
Stanton’s date is harder to trust. He hit .256 with three homers and 14 RBIs in 24 games before a right calf strain ended his run in late April. He then tweaked the calf again during a June rehab. The Yankees will not rush a 36-year-old designated hitter whose lower body has repeatedly flared up, and he will need rehab at-bats to find his timing.
What it means for the Yankees’ stretch run
The value of both returns goes beyond the numbers. Bellinger gives the Yankees a left-handed bat, defensive flexibility across the outfield and a hitter who does not need to be hidden with the glove. They have been trying to replace all three since he went down.
Stanton offers something the lineup has sorely lacked with Aaron Judge also banged up: right-handed thunder in the middle of the order. Even a part-time version would give the Yankees a dangerous option against left-handed pitching.
None of the dates are guaranteed. Rodon’s return still depends on the team’s plan, and the Sept. 1 target for the two sluggers is an estimate, not a promise. Bellinger’s hamstring and Stanton’s calf have both shown they can complicate a timeline.
Still, this was the clearest week of injury news the Yankees have had in a while. They travel to Toronto and then Baltimore trying to hold their playoff position, with the roster they have been waiting for now close enough to plan around.
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