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By Jackson Roberts
Contributing Sports Writer
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The sooner the New York Yankees can assemble their full, healthy starting rotation, the better their odds will be of taking back the American League East crown.
All offseason, we've known that lefty Carlos Rodón and righty Gerrit Cole wouldn't be ready in time for opening day. But while both were always expected to return before the All-Star break, there's a huge difference between having a star pitcher back in late April versus late June.
Clarity is of the essence in times like these, and on Tuesday, the Yankees provided their most concrete timeline thus far for Rodón to return to a major league mound from his elbow surgery.
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According to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, Rodón is scheduled to continue throwing live batting practice later this week, and may not get into a spring training game before the regular season begins next Wednesday. But more importantly, the skipper revealed that New York doesn't believe Rodón will miss a full month or more of regular-season games.
“I expect him back at some point in April," Boone told Kirschner.
After his All-Star showing and team-high 203 strikeouts last season, Rodón could give the Yankees a major boost by returning in time to make more than 25 starts this year. And Kirschner also reported Tuesday that Cole will throw an inning in the Yankees' spring training game against the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, saying the right-hander is on track for an early June debut.
Rodón making 25-plus starts this season, and Cole making more than 15 would be a win for the Yankees, all things considered. While having both healthy for the postseason is the most important objective of all, New York's odds of earning the easiest path to the World Series should increase based on the number of combined regular-season starts they make.
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