Heading into spring training, New York Yankees fans have to be worried about the state of their team’s starting pitching.
While the Yankees AL East Division rivals, the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox, have improved their starting pitching staffs, New York has basically stayed status quo.
Red Sox and Blue Jays improve starting pitching while Yankees remain status quo
This off-season, Yankee fans and management alike have seen the AL East Division champions Blue Jays, strengthen their already solid rotation by signing fireballer Dylan Cease, who last year recorded 215 strikeouts.
With the addition of Cease, last year’s World Series finalist boasts an impressive rotation with veteran Kevin Gausman, rookie sensation Trey Yesavage, Eric Lauer, who went 9-2 last season and veteran Jose Berrios who is more than capable of rebounding with a solid season.
They also have two-time all-star Shane Bieber who unfortunately for Jays fans won’t be ready until sometime in June.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox vastly improved their rotation by making some aggressive moves, including back in late November when their pitching staff got a tremendous boost after acquiring three-time All-Star Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for right-handed pitcher Richard Fitts and left-handed prospect Brandon Clarke.
Gray who is a southpaw went 14-8 last season, along with producing 201 strikeouts and a 4.28 ERA.
A couple of months later, after free agent infielder Alex Bregman signed with the Chicago Cubs, Boston made their powerful starting rotation even stronger when, on January 26, 2026, they signed free agent southpaw starter Ranger Suarez to a five-year $130 million-dollar contract.
Last season as a Philadelphia Phillie, he went 12-8 with a 3.20 ERA and 152 strikeouts.
This strong rotation is led by another southpaw in Garrett Crochet, who last year, in his first season as a Red Sox, went 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA and 255 strikeouts.
Rounding out the rotation is Brayan Bello, who is coming off a season which saw him go a respectable 11-9 with a 3.35 ERA and 124 strikeouts.
Yankee fans have to be puzzled that the front office was rather quiet this past winter and, unlike the Jays and Red Sox, didn’t sign or trade for a number one starting pitcher with a track record of winning.
Instead they will be going to spring training still missing three powerful arms in Gerrit Cole, along with left Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt.
Besides having to maneuver without these valuable arms, the Yankees are hoping they don’t have to endure the same kind of inconsistencies that left Max Fried went through last season.
Yankees need young starting pitcher Cam Schlittler to take another step in his development
Starting in his July 9, 2025 MLB debut, Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler showed that he was a bonified MLB pitcher who had star potential. Originally drafted in 2022, seventh round by the Yankees, Schlittler, who is only 25 years-old made a positive impression in that debut by allowing only four hits, striking out seven and yielding three runs in winning his debut against the Seattle Mariners.
Schlittler would go on last season to make 14 regular season starts where he finished with a 4-3 record along with 84 strikeouts and a solid 2.96 ERA.
During the post-season, Schlittler had two starts against the Blue Jays where he ended up going 1-1 with a 1.26 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 14.1 innings pitched.
Overall, Schlittler has five pitches but relies mostly on his fastball. He dominated in Double and Triple A last summer before making that MLB debut when Schmidt became sidelined. Expect him to take that next big step forward.
Meanwhile, Cole, who is the staff’s ace, is still looking to return sometime in May from his March 11th, 2025 Tommy John Surgery. Obviously having Cole back will be a huge lift but the question is at 35 years of age, will he be just as effective after not pitching for over a year?
Rodon, who is 33 years-old is expected back in the rotation sometime in late April or early May after off-season left elbow surgery to remove a bone spur. With no proper spring training and being behind schedule a big question which pertains to Cole and Schmidt as well is will that have a negative effect on their season?
Schmidt had on July 10, 2025 his second Tommy John surgery and will be sidelined until after the All-Star break. The million dollar question is after a second Tommy John, will he be how the arm holds up in terms of velocity and innings pitched after enduring two Tommy John’s.
Yankees trade with Marlins for starting pitcher Ryan Weathers
In mid January, the Yankees who were looking for some starting pitching depth swung a multi-player deal with the Miami Marlins as they traded outfielder prospects Brendan Jones, Dillon Lewis and infielder prospects Dylan Jasso and Juan Matheus to the Marlines for southpaw starter Ryan Weathers which has gotten Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake extremely excited.
Weathers, who is 26 years-old went 2-2 with Miami last year with a 3.99 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 38.1 innings pitched. Part of Weather’s arsenal includes a 97 mph fastball which excites Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake.
“This is an exciting arm,” Blake said. “It’s a kid who I’ve been following since High School when we were scouting him in the Amateur Draft, he’s done a nice job of growing into a major league version of himself. The biggest thing is just keeping him on the field. We have to do a good job of having a nice on ramp for him this spring and keeping him healthy, but an electric arm with a nice arsenal- there’s definitely a ceiling for him he hasn’t touched yet.”
In spring training, Hughes discussed the idea of getting Weathers to use his two seamers more for the purpose as Hughes put it, “To help open the zone for his four-seam fastball and sweeper.”
Main Image: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
