The New York Yankees are fresh off a three-game sweep of the in-state rival New York Mets, where the team got some strong pitching performances from Max Fried (6.1 innings pitched, 2 hits, no runs, 4 strikeouts) and Cam Schlittler (5.1 innings pitched, one hit, no runs, 8 strikeouts).
The Yankees have the No. 3 starting rotation in MLB, according to The Athletic, but most analysts agree their relief staff is a middle-of-the-road group.
That relief staff got a bit thinner on Monday when one reliever who was hoping to crack the Yankees roster at some point announced he’d be released from the team.
Yankees Cut Ties With 26-Year-Old Relief Pitcher
GettyManager Aaron Boone #17 high fives pitcher Yovanny Cruz #96 of the New York Yankees before a spring training game against the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park.
The Yankees signed 6-foot-3, 185-pound right-handed reliever Cole Ayers back in June 2022.
He bounced around High-A with the Tampa Tarpons and Hudson Valley Renegades before being promoted to the Somerset Patriots in Double-A. However, that’s as far as he made it before having Tommy John surgery last summer.
Six months into his rehab, Ayers was hit with the unfortunate news that the Yankees were moving on.
“Unfortunately, I was released from the Yankees this weekend, 6 months into Tommy John Rehab,” Ayers wrote on Instagram. “Baseball isn’t always sunshine and rainbows, give your everything to a game, an organization, 26 years healthy never missed a game till the inevitable TJ, but it’s just business. Plan stays the same, path is just a little different.
“I’m 10 weeks into my throwing program & progressing rapidly. I will be game ready come September! I appreciate all of the people I’ve met through this org and along the way. This is only the beginning of the greater path God has in store for me!
“As I rehab back to full health and look for opportunities with other organizations, I will be tapping into my brand and creating something to help the younger generations love this game as much as I do. Stay tuned big things ahead 💫.”
Pitching May Carry Yankees This Season
GettyNew York Yankees ace Max Fried
Despite being without three of their starters, the Yankees still have one of the top rotations in the league, according to Jim Bowden of The Athletic.
New York’s depth may be what carries the team until it gets back some of its injured stars.
“The Yankees will begin the year with a trio of starters on the injured list: Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt,” Bowden wrote. “Cole is recovering from his 2025 Tommy John surgery and should be back by late May or early June, Rodón is recovering from his own elbow surgery and should return in late April or early May, and Schmidt is recovering from Tommy John surgery and is projected to return during the second half of the season.
“Despite those injuries, the Yankees still have a strong rotation to start the year, led by their ace Max Fried and followed by the up-and-coming Cam Schittler, right-hander Will Warren, newly acquired southpaw Ryan Weathers and former AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil. By season’s end, they could have the best rotation in baseball, especially if Cole can return to his Cy Young Award-caliber form.”
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