SAN FRANCISCO — The names on the Yankees injured list heading into Opening Day were not a surprise. The timeline decisions attached to them were.
Before Wednesday’s 7-0 win over the Giants at Oracle Park, the Yankees finalized their roster moves for the start of the 2026 season. Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Anthony Volpe all landed on the injured list. Luis Gil was sent to Triple-A. Randal Grichuk was signed to a major league contract and added to the active roster.
All of that was expected. What raised eyebrows was how the Yankees handled the IL designations, particularly for Cole. The choice to place the ace on the 15-day injured list instead of the 60-day IL signals either genuine optimism about his recovery or a desire to preserve flexibility that the front office does not want to give up.
Cole goes to 15-day IL instead of 60-day
Cole, 35, is recovering from Tommy John surgery performed on March 11, 2025, by Dr. Neal ElAttrache of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He missed the entire 2025 season and has made just two spring training appearances this year, totaling 2 2/3 innings with three strikeouts, no walks and one run allowed.
Had the Yankees placed Cole on the 60-day IL, he would not have been eligible to pitch in a major league game until May 24. By choosing the 15-day designation, the Yankees kept the door open for an earlier return, even if the long-standing target has been late May or early June.
Cole surpassed 98 mph and sat in the 96 mph range during his spring outings. He has also made a noticeable adjustment to his delivery, taking his arms over his head during his windup instead of keeping them down by his chest. He needs to stretch out to 80 or 90 pitches through several minor league rehab outings before being activated.
For a pitcher on a nine-year, $324 million contract who opted out and then reversed his decision after the 2024 season, every timeline choice carries significant weight. The Yankees are clearly unwilling to lock themselves into a longer absence than necessary.
Rodon and Volpe round out the IL moves
Left-hander Carlos Rodon was placed on the 15-day IL, retroactive to March 22, as he recovers from surgery to remove bone spurs from his left elbow last October. Rodon did not appear in any Grapefruit League games but has graduated to live batting practice. The Yankees expect him back by late April or early May.
Shortstop Anthony Volpe was placed on the 10-day IL, also retroactive to March 22, as he continues rehabbing from left shoulder surgery performed last October to repair a torn labrum. Volpe has been using the Trajekt machine and is expected to graduate to live batting practice next week, with an eye on starting a minor league rehab assignment in mid-April.
Putting Volpe on the 10-day IL instead of a longer designation raised questions of its own. While he has said he feels better than expected, there is a wide gap between hitting off a machine and being cleared for full defensive work that includes diving and sprawling at shortstop. Jose Caballero is handling the position in his absence.
Four-man rotation to start the season
With Cole and Rodon sidelined, the Yankees will open the year with a four-man rotation. Max Fried, who threw 6 1/3 shutout innings in Wednesday’s win, leads the group. Cam Schlittler, Will Warren and Ryan Weathers round out the early-season rotation.
The schedule helps. The Yankees have enough off days in the early weeks to avoid needing a fifth starter right away. That is also why Gil, the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year, was optioned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre rather than kept on the roster.
Gil will stay stretched out in Triple-A and be available to step in as soon as the schedule tightens or if an injury creates an opening. The Yankees are managing workloads and roster spots carefully, banking on the assumption that their depth can carry them through April.
Why the IL choices matter for the Yankees
The 40-man roster mechanics add another layer. The Yankees currently sit at 39 players on the 40-man roster. A team cannot make 60-day IL placements unless its 40-man roster is full. That technical detail may have played a role in the decision-making, though the front office has not publicly said so.
Regardless of the reason, the message from the Yankees is clear: they are not conceding any flexibility on their most important injured players. Cole, Rodon and Volpe are all being treated as if their returns could come earlier than originally projected. Whether that optimism is justified or simply strategic, the first few weeks of the season will tell.
The Yankees and Giants resume the series Friday with Cam Schlittler on the mound for New York against left-hander Robbie Ray. For now, the rotation and roster are set. But the injured list decisions made this week suggest the Yankees are already planning for the next wave of moves.
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