Yankees News: Carlos Rodón to Start Season on IL with Forearm Injury

The New York Yankees will open the 2023 regular season without Carlos Rodón in their starting rotation.

General manager Brian Cashman told reporters Thursday that Rodón will start the year on the injured list with a strained left forearm.

Rodón, who spoke to reporters about his injury, doesn't seem too concerned about this being a serious issue: "I'm not here to pitch until the All-Star break. I'm here to pitch well into October. If this was down the stretch, yeah, I would be going for sure. If it's October 5 or the ALDS, I'm taking the ball."

The Yankees will start the regular season short-handed in the starting rotation. Frankie Montas is hoping to return in the second half after he underwent shoulder surgery in February.

New York's bullpen will also be without two key contributors to start the season, with Tommy Kahnle and Lou Trivino going on the injured list, Cashman announced.

Starting pitcher Nestor Cortes, who made the All-Star team last season, showed up to spring training with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. There was optimism he would be ready to throw early in camp, but the southpaw has yet to appear in a spring game.

Manager Aaron Boone told reporters earlier this week Cortes will likely be used as the No. 5 starter to open the season to give him more time to get back to full strength.

After the re-signing of Aaron Judge, Rodón's acquisition was the most important offseason move the Yankees made. The two-time All-Star signed a six-year, $162 million deal in December.

Cashman has been trying to find a reliable No. 2 starter behind Gerrit Cole for years. Montas was supposed to fill that role after being acquired from the Oakland Athletics in August, but he only appeared in eight games for the Yankees because of a shoulder injury.

Rodón has been injured often throughout his career, though he was able to make 55 starts over the past two seasons combined. The 30-year-old finished fifth in AL Cy Young voting with the Chicago White Sox in 2021.

The San Francisco Giants signed Rodón as a free agent last offseason. He rewarded them with a 2.88 ERA and 237 strikeouts in 178 innings over 31 starts.

Prior to the 2021 season, Rodón only made 43 appearances from 2017 to '20. He had Tommy John surgery in May 2019.

Cole will likely get the Opening Day start for the Yankees on March 30 against the Giants. Luis Severino seems like the favorite to be their No. 2 starter. The right-hander had a 3.18 ERA in 19 starts last season.