Major Gerrit Cole news will leave Yankees fans questioning Carlos Rodón's timeline

The dizzying pop of more full-intensity bullpen sessions than anyone expected this soon has culminated in an awesome moment to end Yankees spring training: Gerrit Cole, if only for an inning, is toeing the rubber on Wednesday afternoon against the Rafael Devers-less Red Sox. This doesn't represent a sudden burst of aggression from the Yankees, though. Cole has earned the opportunity to translate his behind-the-scenes work to the center of the diamond, but still won't be returning until mid-May or June.

Surely, though, that must mean the return of the Yankees' other hobbled All-Star will close out this spring's narrative? After all, left-hander Carlos Rodón has long been expected to return about a month before Cole after an offseason procedure to clean up loose bodies in his left elbow that hindered him plenty as the 2025 season wrapped.

Unable to button his shirt ("Join the club!" - Giancarlo Stanton), Rodón is now throwing full-steam in the 'pen, though the updates on his rehab are much odder than Cole's. The other day, Rodón reported that backing off actually made his velocity increase. He's still relearning his new body and arm, and the Yankees have communicated that they're comfortable with their depth, regardless of when he's ready.

A slow play makes sense. They have the horses. But expecting Rodón to follow in Cole's footsteps does seem reasonable, considering Aaron Boone mentioned on Tuesday that they still expect him back "at some point in April," ahead of Cole's curve.

And yet the Yankees don't seem to be planning for him to appear in a spring game, despite intending for him to return a month before Cole can. Something? Nothing? Odd.

Yankees' timeline for Carlos Rodón's injury return already seems improbable

The natural next instinct is to assume that the Rodón timeline is a hopeful one rather than a realistic one. There's nothing wrong with that. The Yankees do go seven or eight deep on trustworthy starters at the moment, depending on your opinion of Luis Gil and their willingness to elevate Elmer Rodriguez and Carlos Lagrange. The slow play is the way. The Yankees won't even need a No. 5 starter until the second turn through the rotation.

But seeing Cole get a chance at elevation before taking another month-and-a-half to ramp up, all while Rodón stays stagnant in the "bullpen session" stage while re-learning his mechanics ... would seem to suggest that Cole's ahead of the lefty, and will be back in mid-May. It's curious, at the very least.