The Yankees' rotation will be shorthanded to begin the 2023 season, with offseason acquisition Carlos Rodón and holdovers Luis Severino and Frankie Montas beginning the year on the injured list.
Montas is expected to miss most of the season; the other two are expected back sooner.
Rodón's injury is a big blow for the Yankees. He is expected to be the No. 2 starter behind ace Gerrit Cole. The left-hander compiled a 14-8 record and 2.88 ERA with the Giants last season and made a second consecutive All-Star Game appearance.
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Rodón is battling a forearm strain he suffered in spring training, but the injury isn't expected to sideline him for too long.
He threw a bullpen session of about 30 pitches Monday, MLB.com's Bryan Hoch reported. Hoch also reported that Rodón will stay in Florida while the team heads to New York for its season opener against the Giants on Thursday.
Carlos Rodon injury timeline
Rodón made just one spring training appearance, giving up five runs and six hits in two innings against the Braves on March 5. He was shut down a few days later when he was diagnosed with a muscle strain in his left forearm.
The Yankees have been quiet about the pitcher's status, but he is back to throwing bullpen sessions.
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"Overall, it feels like he’s in a strong spot now and whatever he had going in his forearm is resolving, which is good to see," Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake said, per The New York Post.
The next step for Rodón will be facing live hitters. Expect the Yankees to make sure their $162 million man is fully healthy before he returns to action.
When could Carlos Rodon return from injury?
Rodón's timeline is unclear, but he will begin the season on the injured list.
When Rodon was initially injured, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said the left-hander would rest and it would "push him back into April, time to be determined," per ESPN. The initial concern was that Rodon had suffered damage to the ulnar collateral ligament. Rodón underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone thinks Rodón should return in April, per Empire Sports Media.
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Carlos Rodon injury history
The Yankees knew when they signed Rodón that injuries were a risk factor — he has battled them throughout his MLB career.
2016: Wrist sprain
The White Sox place Rodón on the IL with a wrist sprain after he tripped on the dugout steps trying to join the team on the field for the national anthem.
2017: BIceps bursitis, shoulder inflammation
The White Sox get just 12 games out of Rodón for the season because of the two injuries.
2018: Shoulder inflammation
Rodón's inflammation persists into this season. He opens the year on the 60-day IL following arthroscopic surgery. He returns in June and pitches for most of the rest of the season.
2019: Tommy John surgery
Rodón undergoes surgery in June after being Chicago's Opening Day starter. He would return to the mound in 2020.
2020: Shoulder soreness
Rodon is limited to four games in the abbreviated season because of shoulder soreness. He spends seven weeks on the IL, from early August to late September.
Since then, Rodón has been mostly healthy, as evidenced by the back-to-back all-star berths. That's why the Yankees felt comfortable signing him to a six-year, nine-figure deal.
