Yankees’ Spring Training Updates: Cole’s Return, Rotation Decisions, and Lagrange’s Honor

As the Yankees gear up for their 2026 season opener against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday at 8:05 p.m., they have two final spring training games lined up. The team will face the Chicago Cubs in Mesa, Arizona, with 3:05 p.m. starts scheduled for both Monday and Tuesday.

Gerrit Cole, recovering from Tommy John surgery, is set to take the mound on Tuesday, aiming for two innings of work. Following him will be left-hander Ryan Weathers, as reported by MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch.

The Yankees are entering the regular season with a four-man rotation that includes left-hander Max Fried and right-handers Cam Schlittler and Will Warren, alongside Weathers. Meredith Marakovits from YES Network noted that the team is currently deliberating the role of Luis Gil in this setup.

Gil is slated to stay behind in Tampa for live batting practice on Wednesday, with discussions ongoing about possibly optioning him to the minors. If that route is not taken, pitching coach Matt Blake mentioned that they might utilize him in a piggyback role. Despite a challenging spring training, Gil managed to finish his last outing on a positive note.

In injury news, shortstop Anthony Volpe, who is dealing with a left shoulder issue, is expected to begin rehab games in mid-April. Volpe had previously expressed optimism about a return in April being “definitely” possible.

On a brighter note, the Yankees have awarded Carlos Lagrange the annual honor for the most outstanding rookie of spring training. The right-hander’s impressive performances made the decision to send him down a tough one. “I feel pretty good with my participation in this big league camp,” Lagrange told Marakovits. “You know, that was my first one. It was pretty good.”

At just 22 years old, Lagrange posted a stellar 1-0 record with a 0.66 ERA over 13.1 innings across four appearances, striking out 13 and allowing only two runs on six hits, including one home run. “I think I take a lot of confidence because when you have a really good team on your back, you know, you pitch with confidence,” he reflected. “And during the summer, you know they can help you make the plays.” Lagrange stands as the Yankees’ top pitching prospect and is currently ranked No. 2 overall, trailing only infielder Greg Lombard Jr. according to MLB Pipeline.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.