Yankees (finally) get positive Carlos Rodón update after back scare

Injuries to Carlos Rodón, Luis Severino and Frankie Montas, who's likely to miss the entire season, have kept Clarke Schmidt in the New York Yankees rotation despite an abymsal first four starts.

Rodón's eventual return could see Schmidt axed from the rotation, but the 27-year-old righty gave Yankees fans a glimpse in Sunday's start against the Blue Jays of the value he could bring to the staff when he's on his game.

Perfect through four innings, Schmidt was tagged for three unearned runs following an Anthony Volpe error. He fanned eight batters and walked one. We're all crossing our fingers he builds off this performance because his stay in the rotation likely will be extended as Rodón works to rejoin the club.

The Yankees got brutal news on the Rodón front this week when Aaron Boone shared the lefty experienced back discomfort after throwing to hitters and would undergo a CT scan.

Boone stressed Rodón's soreness isn't a big deal and the CT scan confirmed this as it revealed no structural damage, per Randy Miller of NJ.com.

Yankees' Carlos Rodón's CT scan revealed no structural damage, will resume throwing program

This is a huge relief, if an expected one.

“Hopefully he continues with the throwing program throughout the week and hopefully the back continues to subside, but I don’t think it’s anything major structurally from the test,” Boone said before Sunday's game. “He hasn’t lost a lot of throwing time, so he should get right back into that assuming he continues to throw this week as the back hopefully subsides and the medicine does its thing.”

Boone loves sugarcoating injuries to the media, but there's reason for optimism with Rodón, who played catch Sunday and could throw a bullpen as soon as this week. It seems as though Rodón's back symptoms are disippiating at an ideal pace, though the Yankees would be smart to continue slow-playing his return.

Equally important is the fact Rodón's elbow is almost as right as rain. The $162 million hurler has been working his way back from a left elbow strain he suffered in his first start of spring training. He's been recovered from the injury for weeks, and Boone doesn't believe his back issue will delay his return by much -- perhaps a few extra days if not a full week.

Yankees fans won't hold their breath until Rodón makes his first start in pinstripes, but dare we say there's finally a light at the end of the tunnel, barring any further setbacks, obviously. If he's able to throw a bullpen this week -- and eventually to hitters -- New York can start mapping out a schedule for his rehab starts in the minor leagues.