Yankees name Carlos Rodón opening day starter

NEW YORK — With Gerrit Cole lost to Tommy John surgery, the Yankees have settled on a new opening day starter.

Carlos Rodón will take the ball when the Bombers host the Brewers on March 27. Aaron Boone made the announcement on Friday, per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, though pitchers’ schedules were already trending that way following Cole’s procedure.

Boone added that Max Fried will start the second game of the season, meaning the Yankees will open the year with back-to-back lefties.

The Yankees signed Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract, the richest guarantee ever for a southpaw, in hopes of making him the Robin to Cole’s Batman. Fried was also supposed to give the club a true No. 2 after Rodón underwhelmed during his first two seasons in the Bronx.

That said, Rodón’s 32 starts and 175 innings led the Yankees’ rotation in 2024 with Cole missing time due to elbow inflammation. Rodón finished the season with a 3.96 ERA. He then allowed 11 earned runs over 17 2/3 innings in the postseason.

Rodón had a much rougher debut season with the Yankees in 2023, as he battled multiple injuries while posting a 6.85 ERA over 14 starts.

With Cole sidelined, the Yankees are hoping Rodón can return to the All-Star form that earned him a six-year, $162 million contract before the 2023 season. If not, a rotation that looked like a strength just a few weeks ago could become a liability, as Luis Gil is also out due to a lat strain.

Cole braced for surgery

On Thursday, the Yankees said that Cole’s Tommy John surgery, which he underwent on Tuesday, included an internal brace, per The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty. However, Cole’s ulnar collateral ligament still required a full reconstruction.

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