The Yankees’ pitching rotation has been lights-out in 2025—even without their ace Gerrit Cole, who’s sidelined after undergoing Tommy John surgery in the spring. Despite his absence, New York leads MLB in opponent batting average and ranks among the top in ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts.
That elite performance has been powered largely by the dominance of Max Fried and Carlos Rodón, who are both putting together Cy Young-caliber seasons.
Fried, acquired in a major offseason move, is 8-1 with a dazzling 1.78 ERA across 81 innings. It’s the best start to a Yankees pitching career since Phil Niekro in 1984, and Fried has shown why he was worth every dollar. Right now, there might not be a better pitcher in the game.
Rodón, after two rocky seasons in pinstripes, is finally looking like the star the Yankees expected. He’s 8-3 with a 2.49 ERA, and his strikeout rate is stellar—98 Ks in just under 80 innings. Opponents are hitting a meager .167 off him, the lowest average in baseball.
This is arguably the best version of Rodón we’ve ever seen—even better than his All-Star days in Chicago and San Francisco.
Could They Make Cy Young History?
Together, Fried and Rodón may be the strongest 1-2 punch in the majors right now. If one of them wins the Cy Young and the other finishes second, it would mark just the fifth time in MLB history that teammates swept the top two spots in the voting. The last time was in 2019, when Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole pulled it off with the Astros.
The competition is fierce. Pitchers like Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet, and Hunter Brown are also having outstanding seasons. But with a long way to go, anything is possible.
Health, consistency, and maybe a bit of luck will determine how far Fried and Rodón can take this. Both are currently ranked among MLB’s top 10 pitchers, and if they keep dominating, they could finish 1-2 in Cy Young voting when all is said and done.
Until then, Yankees fans can just sit back, rep the pinstripes, and enjoy what could be a historic ride.
Leave a Reply