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Oct 7, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning during game three of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Yankees Get First Carlos Rodón Look Since PRP Injection

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Jayesh Pagar | Last updated Feb 15, 2026 12:00 PM ET

Carlos Rodón got back on the mound for the first time in over a week. The New York Yankees' lefty threw a bullpen session at George M. Steinbrenner Field, a small but important step in his recovery from elbow surgery.

Yankees Videos shared the update on X, with reporter Niki Lattarulo breaking down what she learned from Rodón after the session. He received a PRP injection in his left elbow about 10 days ago, which kept him off the mound while the treatment did its work. This bullpen session marked his return to throwing off a mound since getting that injection, and the results looked promising.

"His range of motion is right where they would want it to be, and the range of motion was the issue," Lattarulo explained.

That's the key piece for the Yankees right now. The range of motion problem was what led to the October surgery in the first place, so seeing it back to where it should be means the procedure did what it was supposed to do. The next phase is about building back his stuff without rushing anything. Lattarulo explained the approach the team is taking with his progression.

"Right now, they're just working on upping the velocity. It's a slow progression up. They don't want to rush it," she said.

"His range of motion is right where they would want it to be" @NikiLattarulo breaks down day four of Spring Training, including an update on Carlos Rodón's progression after receiving a PRP injection in his elbow and when to expect him back: pic.twitter.com/81NZoOCVW9
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) February 14, 2026

He's already thrown five or six bullpen sessions this spring, so the work has been ongoing. But this one felt different because it came after the PRP treatment and showed that his arm is responding the way the Yankees hoped it would.

How Bad the Elbow Really Was in 2025

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

What most fans didn't realize during the 2025 season was just how much Rodón was dealing with. He posted an 18-9 record with a 3.09 ERA across 33 starts and 195.1 innings, which looked like a solid bounce-back year. But those numbers came while pitching through constant elbow problems that affected everything from his performance to his daily life.

"He said every single start was battling the elbow. Yes, he was serviceable, but he wasn't himself. He wasn't where he wanted to be, and he could barely button his shirt, he told us," Lattarulo reported.

The decision to get surgery came when the elbow started affecting his velocity. Rodón's average fastball velocity dropped from 95.4 mph in 2024 to 94.1 mph in 2025. That kind of year-over-year decline changes everything about how hitters see your pitches and made it clear that something needed to be fixed.

"So they collaboratively decided once the velocity was taking a hit that he needed to get this surgery, and he didn't fight it. He wanted to be the best version of himself this season," Lattarulo said.

Getting the surgery done in October gave Rodón the best chance to be ready for 2026 without missing too much of the season. The recovery timeline has been progressing on schedule, and now it's just a matter of building back up to game speed.

Getting Back on the Mound for Games

The big question everyone wants answered is when Rodón will actually pitch in a game. He kept his answer optimistic but realistic, knowing that Opening Day isn't happening but hoping the wait won't be too long after that.

"So I asked him when we can expect to see him back, and he said hopefully sooner rather than later. He was also asked maybe April, and he laughed and said that would be great," Lattarulo reported.

The Yankees are officially targeting late April or May for his return, which lines up with what the team needs. Gerrit Cole won't be ready until May or June as he works back from Tommy John surgery, and Clarke Schmidt might miss the entire season. That puts a lot of early-season weight on Max Fried, with Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil, Ryan Weathers and Will Warren filling out the rest of the rotation spots until the veterans get back.

Getting Rodón back healthy gives the Yankees another proven starter who can eat innings and keep them in games. He showed last year that he could pitch through pain and still put up decent numbers, so a fully healthy version should be a major boost once he's cleared to face hitters again.

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This article first appeared on New York Yankees on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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