Yankees' pitching depth being tested early

TAMPA, Fla. – It was around this time last spring that Gerrit Cole stood on a curb at Los Angeles International Airport, nervously scrolling on his phone as he waited for a green light in more ways than one. The Yankees’ ace was concerned about his pitching elbow, and his team would need to somehow cover the innings it had unexpectedly lost.

Enter Luis Gil, who was summoned across the street from Minor League camp; the young right-hander more or less approximated the output the Yankees were expecting at the top of the rotation. Those contributions from the eventual American League Rookie of the Year were a significant factor in the Yanks winning the AL East by three games over the Orioles.

Now both Cole and Gil are out – Cole due to a right elbow injury that has the hurler “concerned” about potential surgery, and Gil by a right lat strain that will cost him at least three months.

“There’s no script for this. In any sport, injuries happen,” said right-hander Clarke Schmidt. “You have to make adjustments. There’s no set plan in stone when you show up to Spring Training. The inevitable injuries are going to pop up. Sometimes when it rains, it pours a little bit, but we know we’ll be able to weather the storm. I think that’s why we play 162 games.”

Cole reported discomfort after allowing six runs to the Twins in his most recent Grapefruit League outing Thursday, prompting initial imaging on Friday evening. Additional medical opinions are being sought, and Cole said he expects to know more within the next couple of days.

“I’m prepared for the worst, but we’ll see how it plays out,” general manager Brian Cashman told Newsday and the New York Post on Sunday in Jupiter, Fla.

In the short term, Cole’s injury underscores the importance of signing left-hander Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract in December, the largest piece of the Yanks’ quick pivot into a post-Juan Soto era. If Cole is unavailable, Fried would likely draw the Opening Day start against the Brewers on March 27 at Yankee Stadium.

The 31-year-old Fried seems up for the assignment, representing his introduction to a new fan base after eight seasons with the Braves, including National League All-Star selections in 2022 and ’24. Fried made his Yankees debut Monday against the Pirates, and he's expected to throw a live batting practice session this week.

“With Fried, I think we’re a little bit more well-equipped to take on the hit and be able to adjust if we need to,” Schmidt said.

Beyond Fried, the bulk of the rotation innings figure to be shouldered by left-hander Carlos Rodón – who is coming off career highs in starts (32) and wins (16) – and right-hander Marcus Stroman, who was mentioned in trade rumors during the offseason.

Potential matches (the Cardinals, for one) balked at taking on Stroman’s $18 million salary, part of a contract that includes a vesting option for the same amount next season if Stroman completes 140 innings. Given the injuries to Cole and Gil, Stroman’s deal now seems like a valuable insurance policy.

“I’ve been at this a long time, man,” Stroman said recently. “I’m just trying to be healthy and get the reps in, and get the workload at this point. … I’ve been working on a bunch of things, and I feel like they’re starting to click as far as repeatability and pitch shapes. It all starts with my sinker.”

Slowed this spring by back stiffness, Schmidt projects to slot at the back of the rotation. He is all too familiar with the challenges Gil is facing. Schmidt sustained a similar right lat strain last May 26 and did not pitch in the Majors again until Sept. 7, interrupting a campaign in which he posted a 2.85 ERA over 16 starts, spanning 85 1/3 innings.

The injuries have created an opportunity for Will Warren, a 25-year-old rookie right-hander who struggled in his first tastes of the Majors last season, when he was thumped for 27 runs (26 earned) over 22 2/3 innings -- an unsightly 10.32 ERA.

But Warren – the Yankees’ No. 5 prospect – has looked sharp this spring, permitting one run on two hits over eight innings, with 11 strikeouts against two walks. Manager Aaron Boone has drawn parallels between Warren’s last calendar year and Schmidt’s stumbles in 2020 and ’21; Schmidt never lacked confidence, but he did need to improve his command, a step forward New York sees Warren taking now.

“I think the failure from last year, it takes that experience to learn,” Warren said. “I think the mentality has changed a little bit. I’m a little more confident out there, because I do have that experience from last year. It wasn’t what I wanted it to be, but there is a little confidence going out there knowing, ‘All right, I’ve done this before.’”

Other candidates in camp to draw starts this season include Allan Winans, who has pitched to a 1.08 ERA across 8 1/3 spring innings, and veteran Carlos Carrasco, who took the ball on Sunday against the Cardinals.

“There’s quality people that we know are capable of stepping in and getting it done,” Boone said. “And that will be the expectation.”