The New York Yankees need a band-aid for their starting rotation to start the 2026 MLB season, as Gerrit Cole (elbow), Carlos Rodón (elbow), and Clarke Schmidt (Tommy John surgery) are recovering from injuries.
Rodón is expected to return first, potentially in April or May, while Cole and Schmidt are projected to follow later in the spring or into early summer. As a result, the Yankees need to find a way to bridge the start of the season until all three key starters are back for them.
On Jan. 9, former big leaguer Harold Reynolds floated the idea on MLB Network that New York should consider signing veteran pitcher Chris Bassitt.
“[The Yankees] need pitching, particularly the bandaid, the beginning of the year,” Reynolds said. “This is a guy that can say, ‘I’ll do that role. I can go to the pen if I need to. I’m flexible.’ It’s a perfect fit for the Yanks.”
Bassitt had a record of 11-9 with an ERA of 3.96 and 166 strikeouts in 32 appearances in 2025 with the Toronto Blue Jays , per StatMuse . Moreover, Bassitt has pitched in New York and knows the AL East, so Reynolds’ idea does make sense.
Yankees Get Update on Cody Bellinger
While Bassit is a nice free-agent idea, the Yankees are reportedly trying to sign and bring back Cody Bellinger to the Bronx. On Jan. 9, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal appeared on “Foul Territory“ and shared the latest on Bellinger, as the Yankees issued a warning to the player over his contract demand.
“I’m sure [the Yankees] have some concerns about bidding against themselves, but the Mets have been reported to be on Bellinger as well,“ Rosenthal said. “When players of a certain level are out there, and people say they have no market, I’m always skeptical because good players always have teams interested… If [Bellinger] got a $30 million AAV, it would be the fourth highest for an outfielder. That’s pretty good, and five years isn’t bad either.
“I’m sure Bellinger and his agent, Scott Boras, do want greater length, and they have every right to seek it. I just don’t know that they’re going to get it. And it certainly sounds like they’re not going to get it from the Yankees. And then the question becomes, where else would the Mets do that? The Mets have been more inclined to do shorter deals, too.”
Ken Rosenthal on Cody Bellinger’s Demand
Moreover, Rosenthal sought to understand why Bellinger and his camp might be holding firm on their stance of seeking a long-term contract in free agency rather than settling for a short-term agreement and potentially having to opt out to test the market again.
“The question is, at what level are they interested in?“ Rosenthal added. “Cody Bellinger [at] $30-plus million a year for five years would be a good deal for a guy who has not gotten a long-term deal yet, right? At the same time, he’s probably looking at, like, ‘I’m younger than Alonso, I’m younger than Schwarber, and those guys got five years. Why shouldn’t I get longer?‘ That would be his perspective on it.”
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