What Yankees Rotation Will Actually Look Like

While the New York Yankees' offseason was headlined by re-signing Cody Bellinger, there have been some lingering questions on who, exactly, will be part of the starting rotation on Opening Day and beyond.

The Yankees will be without three starters when they face off against the San Francisco Giants in a special Opening Night game on March 25. Both Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt required Tommy John surgery, with Cole expected to return this season while Schmidt is more up in the air, as his surgery was in July. Carlos Rodón was one of the Yankees' best starters last season, but needed surgery to shave down a bone spur and remove loose bodies from his throwing arm. Rodón is expected to return just before Cole.

On Opening Night, that will leave ace lefty Max Fried and potential Rookie of the Year candidate Cam Schlittler as the Pinstripes' two best pitchers. The Yankees traded the Miami Marlins for Ryan Weathers to add another arm, though he has been injury prone througout his career. While Luis Gil hopes to improve on a disappointing 2025 after winning the 2024 AL ROTY award, Will Warren is also there.

Who Will Join Yankees' Healthy Rotation?

If they don't make another trade or acquisition, the starting rotation might look a bit lopsided. Come the trade deadline, expect Fried, Cole, Rodón, and Schlittler to be four of the top five guys for the Yankees (possibly even in that order, depending on how injury recovery goes).

The fifth man in the Yankees rotation for the second half of the season remains a bit of a mystery. Weathers, Gil and Warren may find themselves in a bit of a position battle during Spring Training and the beginning of the season, when opportunities are more abundant without Cole and Rodón. While Gil should have the upper hand, having now recovered and had time to train, Warren or Weathers could have a surprising hot streak waiting to be unlocked.

Sep 28, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil (81) reacts as he heads to the dugout after the fourth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

There's also the possibility that the Yankees make a splashy move for another starting pitcher. While Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal was seemingly off the table, recent contract arbitration could have soured things and given the Yankees an opening. However, the Yankees already have a few left handed starters, so they could go in a different direction to try and balance the rotation with another righty.

As the next month of Spring Training progresses, all eyes will be on the Yankees to see what the rotation will look like on Opening Day and beyond.

Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more!