Gerrit Cole is out for the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and Luis Gil has been sidelined for at least three months with a strained lat muscle. Those injuries leave the Yankees scrambling for reliable arms, and Carrasco's experience and solid spring performance make him a strong candidate to stick around.

After a disastrous initial season with the Yankees in 2023 that included a 6.85 ERA while dealing with various injuries, Rodon bounced back to his typical self in 2024. Though he was still a bit volatile, he posted a solid 3.96 ERA with 195 strikeouts, 57 walks and a 1.22 WHIP in 175 innings across 32 starts.