Carlos Rodón. MLB.com
EL NUEVO DIARIO, NEW YORK.- Carlos Rodón is making progress in his recovery from surgery on his left elbow and hopes to be back on a Major League mound at the beginning of the 2026 regular season, the Yankees left-hander told the YES network on Tuesday.
As a guest on the “Yankees Hot Stove” show, Rodón said he is in his second week of a shooting program, having most recently made 30 throws from distances of 60 to 75 feet. He underwent a procedure in October to scrape a bone spur and remove loose debris from his throwing elbow.
“It’s one of those things that becomes part of the day when you’re pitching,” Rodón said. «There are many who are beaten, competing out there. There isn’t much room to make excuses. My job is to go out there and compete, pitch as many innings as I can and give my team the best chance to win.
Rodón, 33, is coming off a 2025 season in which he posted career highs in wins (18), starts (33) and innings pitched (195 1/3), with an 18-9 record, 3.09 ERA and 203 strikeouts.
The Yankees won both postseason games he started, although they had to overcome his early exit in Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Blue Jays, a game remembered for Aaron Judge’s tying home run that hit the left field foul pole.
Rodón achieved what he did in 2025 with a more varied repertoire than in previous campaigns, recognizing that “the elbow had something to do with it.”
With decreased fastball velocity, Rodón used his fastball less, dropping from 49.4 percent usage in 2024 to 41.8 percent in e; 2025. He increased his reliance on his slider (from 26 percent to 28.4 percent) and his changeup (from 12.9 percent to 16.2 percent), while incorporating a sinker (two-seam fastball) that he threw 9.6 percent of the time.
Rodón also reduced his use of the curveball (from 8.3% to 3.8%) and almost abandoned his cutter (from 3.5% to 0.2%).
“I had to learn to throw a little more,” Rodón said. “I’m grateful for the staff around me, our training staff and everyone who played a role in helping me complete the year.”
The Yankees’ rotation could be weakened at the start of next season, with Rodón, Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt all on the injured list.
Of that group, Rodón appears to be the closest to a comeback. He said Tuesday that he hopes to make some starts in the Grapefruit League this spring, although he will likely be pitching in Minor League rehab games when the Yankees open the season.
«I’ll be a little late. “I’m not sure exactly when my first start will be, but I hope it’s sooner rather than later,” Rodón said. «Obviously, I’m not going to be part of the Opening Day rotation, but I hope to be in a few weeks. “I want to be 100 percent and be able to pitch in every game I can.”
Meanwhile, Rodón believes fans should be “tremendously excited” about Cam Schlittler, who burst onto the scene with a 100 mph fastball last summer and pitched the game of his life to seal the Wild Card Series against the Red Sox.
“I hope this year he really becomes a pitcher and learns not to always rely on that fastball,” Rodón said. «I think he has a lot of other weapons that I don’t think everyone knows about, and I’m sure he will be using them this year. He has a chance to become a great pitcher in this game for a long time.”
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