FAREWELL JOHN STERLING / YANKEES APRIL RECAP

The New York Yankees opened the 2026 season on March 25th with several major changes. In free agency, both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver departed for the New York Mets, Mark Leiter Jr. was released and signed with the Oakland A’s, while key players Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Anthony Volpe began the year on the injured list and Oswaldo Cabrera and Jasson Domínguez were optioned to Triple-A.

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Despite those setbacks, the Yankees surged out of the gate, finishing the first month with an impressive 20–10 record. Close behind them in the AL East standings are the Tampa Bay Rays. 

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Filling in for the injured Volpe, José Caballero has made an impact, currently ranking third in the MLB with 12 stolen bases. Offensively, Ben Rice and Aaron Judge have provided plenty of power, battling for most home runs on the team. As of this update, Judge is leading the team with 13 home runs and Rice close behind at 12.

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Coming into the season, the biggest question mark surrounded the starting rotation due to the absence of Cole and Rodón. However, the group of Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, Luis Gil, and new to the team, Ryan Weathers has exceeded expectations. Fried, Schlittler, and Warren have each recorded four wins, posting ERAs between 1.09 and 2.39, while Weathers has added two wins with a solid 3.03 ERA. Gil, on the other hand, has struggled winning only 1 of his 4 starts with an ERA of 6.05, leading him to be sent down to Triple-A. 

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The Yankees gave veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk a brief stint but after batting .194 in 16 games he was sent for assignment to Triple-A. Grichuk rejected the assignment and is now a free agent. This allowed for pitcher prospect Elmer Rodriguez to make his major league debut. Unfortunately, he lost his first start with a 4.50 era.  

Meanwhile, both Cole and Rodón continue their rehab assignments, with Rodón expected to return in the first or second week of May. Rodriguez will most likely get another start before one of them returns. 

In the bullpen, David Bednar has converted 9 of 13 save opportunities so far. While the middle relievers’ stats vary, with ERAs ranging from 1.38 to 6.74. 

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As the Yankees head into May, some key questions remain: Will the Yankees continue a 5 man rotation with Fried, Schlittler, Warren, Weathers and Rodon? What will happen to Weathers when Cole returns? 

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Lastly, I was going to end with “When Volpe returns, does he immediately reclaim the starting shortstop role—and if so, what becomes of Caballero?”  However, as I was writing this, the Yankees announced they optioned Volpe to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre now that his rehab assignment is complete. So the question now is, how long will he stay in Triple-A?

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REST IN PEACE JOHN STERLING

- Rob Crowther, Editor In Chief

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RIP to an all time sports broadcast Announcer and the voice of the New York Yankees, Mr. John Sterling. When Sterling was on the radio, you muted the TV, and turned up the radio volume. The legend was also the eyes for many who were blind or visually impaired, painting the perfect picture of every game. His witty homerun calls were always a favorite of mine, as he has always been a strong influence whenever I had an opportunity on the headset. A consummate professional, he always called every game with the utmost decorum, something that is becoming more of a thing of the past. Sterling was one of a kind and will certainly be missed. All the love to his family.

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