Yankees set to bring back affordable veteran as rotation insurance

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NEW YORK — The Yankees face a rotation nightmare heading into 2026. Gerrit Cole won’t be ready for Opening Day. Carlos Rodon is recovering from elbow surgery. Clarke Schmidt might not pitch until August. With three starters sidelined, the Yankees front office is turning to a familiar face to help stabilize the situation.

Ryan Yarbrough could return to the Bronx on another affordable one-year deal. The left-hander signed for $2 million last March and delivered steady results before injuries cut his season short. With the Yankees scrambling to piece together a rotation, bringing back the 33-year-old veteran makes sense for both sides.

Insider backs Yankees reunion plan

New York Post columnist Joel Sherman reported that Ryan Yarbrough remains high on the Yankees’ list because of his unique flexibility. The veteran filled multiple roles in 2025, starting eight games and appearing as a reliever eight times before an oblique strain ended his momentum in late June.

“Yarbrough was on a strong run as a fill-in starter before incurring an oblique injury late in June and never worked his way back into a role when he returned in September,” Sherman wrote. “The Yankees will begin the season with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon on the injured list, but with the hope that they return early in the season. The Yanks could look to plug in a starter to cover innings early who has the ability to flip to the pen if the Yankees rotation ever gets whole.”

Yarbrough produced a 3.90 ERA through his first 55.1 innings before the injury. When he returned in September, he struggled, giving up seven runs over 8.2 innings. Even so, the Yankees valued his ability to handle bulk innings and deliver quality starts during a stretch when injuries piled up.

Yarbrough chose the Yankees over Toronto last spring despite similar offers from the Blue Jays. He cited New York’s pitching development reputation as the deciding factor. That same appeal could bring him back for 2026.

The rotation depth chart looks bare

Manager Aaron Boone confirmed the bleak rotation picture during a recent press conference. Cole is progressing well from Tommy John surgery but won’t be available for Opening Day. The Yankees ace underwent the procedure in March after suffering elbow inflammation in spring training. His earliest return projects for April or May.

Rodon’s situation is less encouraging. He had surgery to remove loose bodies and address a bone spur in his elbow. He won’t throw for at least eight weeks, putting his 2026 debut several weeks into the season.

Schmidt’s outlook is even worse. The right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery in July, and Boone admitted he may not return until the second half of 2026. That leaves three major holes in the Yankees’ starting rotation to open the season.

Right now, Max Fried anchors the staff. Rookie standout Cam Schlittler, who impressed during his 2025 breakout, will likely slot in behind him. Will Warren and Luis Gil round out the group, but both carry durability and consistency questions. The Yankees clearly need experienced depth to protect against further setbacks.

Yarbrough fits the blueprint perfectly

Financially, Yarbrough checks every box. Spotrac projects his next deal at roughly $2.2 million for one year, nearly identical to his 2025 salary with the Yankees. Given that New York will already pay Cole, Rodon, and Fried over $90 million combined next season, a low-cost veteran option is a practical solution.

Yarbrough’s versatility makes him particularly valuable. Across seven MLB seasons, he has made 68 starts and 128 relief appearances. The Yankees saw that firsthand in 2025, when he seamlessly transitioned from starter to reliever depending on team needs.

His resume stretches across several organizations. Yarbrough spent five seasons with Tampa Bay from 2018 to 2022, then pitched for Kansas City and the Dodgers in 2023. He joined the Blue Jays in 2024 before landing in New York. That journey exposed him to various pitching systems, helping him adapt quickly to different roles.

Unlike most pitchers, Yarbrough relies more on command than power. His four-seam fastball averaged just 86.7 mph last season, the slowest among 138 pitchers who threw at least 1,500 pitches. Yet through pinpoint location and pitch deception, he often outperformed harder throwers.

Past performance supports the gamble

Yarbrough’s career history shows why the Yankees are interested. As a rookie with Tampa Bay in 2018, he led all major league rookies with 16 wins — a franchise record for the Rays. That season, he often worked behind openers, displaying the adaptability that still defines his value.

In 2024, Yarbrough’s endurance stood out. He led all MLB relievers with 98.2 innings pitched and threw two or more innings in 26 appearances. The Dodgers and Blue Jays both trusted him in crucial spots, relying on his consistency and efficiency.

Before joining the Yankees, Yarbrough posted a 3.19 ERA across 44 relief outings in 2024. The Dodgers traded him to the Blue Jays midseason, and he performed even better after the move, allowing just seven earned runs in 31.1 innings.

General manager Brian Cashman now faces limited options. Free-agent starters come at high prices, and the Yankees don’t want to sacrifice top prospects in trades. Internal candidates lack proven major league experience. That makes Yarbrough an ideal combination of affordability, reliability, and versatility — three traits the Yankees desperately need.

The Yankees learned a hard lesson about pitching depth in 2025, when injuries derailed a promising rotation. Facing a similar crisis again, they can’t afford to rely solely on untested arms. Yarbrough has already proven he can steady the ship. Bringing him back on a short-term deal could provide the exact coverage New York needs until its stars return.

For a Yankees team trying to balance big contracts with dependable depth, Yarbrough’s reunion feels like a safe bet. He knows the clubhouse, the system, and what the front office expects. If healthy, he can give the Yankees innings, experience, and the peace of mind that their rotation sorely lacks.

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