TALENT VS. AVAILABILITY: YANKEES MUST SOLVE EARLY SEASON PITCHING GAP
Despite a star-studded rotation, the 2026 New York Yankees face a pitching crisis. With Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon injured, their early-season depth is a major concern.
Even with a stacked roster, the front office might still worry, and that's the situation for the 2026 New York Yankees and their pitchers. Looking at the names, you'd think they'd easily dominate the American League. The team of Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil, Will Warren, Ryan Yarbrough, Elmer Rodriguez, and Clarke Schmidt is a group most teams would want. However, talent doesn’t ensure that players are always available, which is the Yanks' concern.
The Yankees understand how good their rotation can be when everyone is healthy, but they also know that this is not currently the case. Cole is recovering from Tommy John surgery. With his return expected between May and June, the Yankees can't count on him for Opening Day or the start of the season. Rodon is in a similar boat after elbow surgery, making his early-season availability uncertain. Schmidt is expected to contribute later in the season.
These key players won’t be ready for the first game of 2026, making the beginning of the year a challenge.
In the meantime, the Yankees will depend on Fried, Schlittler, Warren, Gil, Yarbrough, and the less tested Rodriguez. While this group has potential, the margin for error is slim. Spring training can quickly change plans with just one setback.
Rodriguez is someone the team likes but hasn't fully tested. If he's not ready for the majors by April, the Yankees might have only five reliable pitchers, which isn't enough to cover six months while waiting for their stars to recover.
That's why New York brought back Yarbrough; he is a useful addition, but just part of the solution. The Yankees are reportedly interested in Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai, showing they need someone to join the rotation without hesitation.
If not Imai, they need someone similar. A minor-league deal won't solve the problem with Cole, Rodon, and Schmidt's staggered returns and the need to cover many innings before summer.
The Yankees have talent but need reliability. To address this, they should act like a team that knows its opportunity is now and its pitching staff needs help. The issue is clear, and it’s up to the Yankees to decide how seriously they want to fix it.
RORY MCILROY TARGETS SEVENTH MAJOR AT ARONIMINK FOLLOWING EMOTIONAL MASTERS DEFENSE
No long break for Rory McIlroy! After his 6th major win, McIlroy eyes the PGA Championship at Aronimink this May.
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Rory McIlroy isn’t following the same script after this Masters win. When reporters asked if he’d take another long break, as he did in 2025, Rory had a different plan in mind.
He’s not disappearing for months this time. Instead, he’s taking a couple of weeks off before jumping back into PGA Tour action. The next big event on the calendar is the PGA Championship, starting May 14 at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania, but it sounds like Rory wants to get some tournament play before then.
He talked about his mindset shift after winning again at Augusta. “My schedule’s going to be different this year,” he said on April 13. “Last year, I thought winning the Grand Slam would be the destination. But actually, it’s just part of the ride. Now that I’ve won my sixth major, I feel great about my game and my body.
“I waited ages to win the Masters, and then I won two in a row. I definitely want to enjoy this. I’ll take a couple weeks off, but I don’t think I’ll hit that motivation lull I felt last year after the win.”
So, what comes next for Rory? He’s skipping the RBC Heritage this week, and his appearance at the Zurich Classic isn’t confirmed either.
Then, there’s Donald Trump, who might’ve let the cat out of the bag. After congratulating Rory on social media, Trump said he was looking forward to watching him at Doral during the Cadillac Championship on April 30. That’s not an official confirmation, but it’s a pretty solid clue that Rory’s next start could be there.
Now that he’s up to six majors and finally has back-to-back Masters titles, Rory’s thinking ahead. The next big stop? The PGA Championship, where he’ll chase number seven. But he’s not feeling satisfied just yet.
“I don’t want to put a hard number on it, but this is just part of the journey,” he said. “I’ve still got things I want to accomplish even as I make sure I enjoy the moment, too.”
LUKA DONčIć'S RETURN TIMELINE REVEALED; ESPN ANALYST HINTS AT LATE FIRST-ROUND COMEBACK
Ramona Shelburne reveals a potential return timeline for Luka Dončić. Discover how the Lakers can save their season.
So, when exactly might Luka Dončić make his return from that hamstring injury? A leading ESPN analyst has put forward a timeline that, if it holds true, could significantly improve the Lakers’ chances in the playoffs.
Why is this important? Because the timeline hints at Dončić possibly coming back during the first round, assuming the Lakers manage to push the series beyond a quick exit.
Dončić, originally from Slovenia, has quite a background. As a teenager, he spent five years playing for Real Madrid, even leading them to a EuroLeague title in 2018. That same year, the Atlanta Hawks picked him third overall in the draft but traded him immediately to Dallas.
Right now, Dončić is back in Spain for treatment on the hamstring he hurt early April during a Lakers loss to the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Reports from the Los Angeles Times suggest he’s undergoing advanced therapies like ultrasound-guided platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell injections, approaches designed to accelerate healing.
It’s interesting to note that while the US only allows PRP and stem cell treatments using the patient’s own cells without manipulation, European regulations are less strict. This means doctors there can boost the concentration of anti-inflammatory agents or culture stem cells over several days, potentially speeding up recovery.
So, if these treatments yield the hoped-for results, when might Dončić be back on the court? ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne shared her perspective during a recent interview.
She pointed out that Dončić’s return could give LeBron James a fitting finale in his long and storied NBA career, basically setting the stage for a memorable chapter. Shelburne mentioned that there’s a chance Luka could rejoin the team later in the first-round series. He’s actively receiving daily treatment in Spain and stays in constant communication with teammates, which sounds promising.
Even if he doesn’t make it back for the entire first round, that window of possibility offers some hope. If the Lakers can stretch their series by a couple of games at home, maybe Dončić’s comeback becomes more than just a distant dream.
Put simply, whether Dončić returns during the first round seems to hinge on whether the Lakers avoid a sweep by their likely first-round foe, the Houston Rockets.
Looking at the Lakers’ playoff picture with just one regular-season game left, they’re on a two-game winning streak heading into Sunday’s finale against the Utah Jazz, a team sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference.
Win that game, and the Lakers secure the No. 4 seed, thanks to tiebreakers over both Houston, trailing by one game, and the Denver Nuggets, a game ahead. That would set up a first-round matchup against Houston.
However, if the Lakers win and the Nuggets lose their last game to the Spurs, the Lakers could leap to the No. 3 seed and host the Minnesota Timberwolves instead.
