Spring training is less than a month away, and the Hot Stove is cooling down. With the offseason coming to a close, what does the Yankees’ rotation look like, and what are realistic expectations heading into the season?
Gerrit Cole
The Yankee ace is coming off a season of complete dominance on the mound. After winning his first career Cy Young Award, Cole will enter 2024 looking for a repeat performance. Over his career, Cole has been the picture of consistency, and there is no reason to suspect his forthcoming campaign will be any different. What exactly will he need to do this year to continue his success? Simply put, have the same pitch command, especially on the pitch he throws more than half the time. Since he entered the league, Gerrit Cole has thrown his fastball more than any other pitch in his arsenal. That makes perfect sense, considering it’s one of the best fastballs in the majors. Last season, what made it especially lethal was Cole’s consistent placement of the pitch high and just outside the strike zone. This consistency can be credited to an altered release point; he released his fastball higher and closer to the third baseline than at any other time in his career, all with less extension off the mound. A higher release point brings an implicit drop in the vertical break of a pitch, but Cole’s fastball is still comfortably above league average. In other words, the perceived upward movement of his fastball was slightly reduced compared to previous years, but there was an improvement in his overall pitch command. These improvements in pitch control had the effect of making Cole’s offspeed and breaking pitches more lethal. Batters are forced to keep their focus high in the zone, so when Cole changes speed or drops in the occasional curveball, it catches those batters off-guard. Other changes Gerrit Cole made last year were small but noticeable. He continues to throw the curveball more than in previous years, but now he is doing so to produce first-pitch strikes.
Carlos Rodón
Carlos Rodón might have the most to prove in 2024. After an impressive season with San Francisco, he secured a six-year contract worth $162 million. By the end of the season, Rodón had received Cy Young Award considerations and a consecutive appearance in the All-Star Game. In his first season as a Yankee, Rodón wouldn’t make it out of spring training due to a forearm strain. Spring training turned into the regular season, and Rodón was moving along in his forearm rehabilitation when everything stalled. He had developed a back issue while working to strengthen his forearm, pushing his regular-season debut back even further. On July 7th, Rodón finally made his highly anticipated debut in the Bronx, facing the Chicago Cubs. Rodón pitched six innings while allowing only two earned runs but would take the loss from the lack of run support. Saying the rest of the season was uncharacteristically bad is an understatement. Rodón appeared uncomfortable on the mound with every new start and seemingly couldn’t find a way to produce consistent strikes. The fastball-slider combo that had been his bread and butter with the White Sox and Giants appeared flat and wasn’t moving as it had in previous seasons. Many suspected Rodón hadn’t fully recovered from his injury or that his rehab was rushed. Whatever the cause, he will need a return to form this season if the Yankees are to reclaim their spot atop the AL East.
