When the Yankees lost Gerrit Cole this spring to Tommy John surgery that will force him to miss the 2025 season (and likely most of 2026), as well as Luis Gil to a lat injury that figures to sideline him until at least June, general manager Brian Cashman said he would “rely on what we have.”

The asking prices for quality starting pitchers were deemed too high, especially with the Yankees trying not to increase payroll too much.

It was an understandable decision, but a potentially risky one.

When the Yankees and their torpedo bats took the league by storm during their opening homestand, they were fine.