The New York Yankees are taking steady steps with left-hander Carlos Rodon, who made his first rehab appearance with High-A Hudson Valley as he works back from elbow surgery. The outing marked an important stage in his recovery process as he builds toward a return to the major league rotation.
Rodon, who had surgery in October 2025 to remove loose bodies and shave a bone spur in his elbow, said the experience felt encouraging. “Today was good, just getting back on the bike, feeling the slope out. Good to get back in a game and have a couple baserunners, a little bit of adrenaline to it, a real game,” he said, according to MLB.com. “There’s still part of the checklist I got to get through, get the pitch count up.”
Yankees expect Rodon to make around three rehab starts before rejoining the team, as the organization continues working to get key pitchers back into the rotation, including teammate Gerrit Cole recently shared how he felt after his second outing. Rodon worked through 4 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out four, as he continues to build arm strength and rhythm.
Positive signs in first live game action
Rodon threw 65 pitches, with 43 strikes, and said the focus was on command and getting comfortable in real game situations again. “Most of it is general fastball command. Got some changeups in, some sliders in,” he explained. He also noted he was working on improving his curveball location during the outing. The results were solid for a first step back, with no runs allowed and limited damage across his innings.
Yankees continue cautious recovery plan
The Yankees are being careful with Rodon’s progression, especially after earlier setbacks in the spring. He is expected to continue building pitch count and strength over his next rehab outings.
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With other pitchers like Gerrit Cole also working their way back, New York is managing multiple recoveries at once. The team hopes Rodon can return fully healthy and strengthen the rotation later in the season.
