Yankees' Ben Rice: Viewed as primary first baseman
Rotowire
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Thursday that he views Rice as the team's primary first baseman next season, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Rice split time between designated hitter (48 starts), first base (46 starts) and catcher (26 starts) in 2025, slashing .255/.337/.499 with 26 home runs across 530 regular-season plate appearances. Boone didn't rule out Rice serving as the team's No. 2 or No. 3 catcher in 2026, but most of the 26-year-old's playing time is expected to come at first base.
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Yankees' Spencer Jones: In position to help Yankees in 2026
Rotowire
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Thursday that Jones is "in the conversation" to be an everyday major-leaguer next season, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Jones slashed .274/.362/.571 with 35 home runs and 29 stolen bases between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in 2025. However, he also had a 35.4 percent strikeout rate, and he finished with a .663 OPS over the final two months. With his power and speed, the fantasy upside with Jones is huge, but it's unlikely the Yankees will hand him a starting job right away next season, given his swing-and-miss concerns.
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Yankees' Jasson Dominguez: In line to play regularly in 2026
Rotowire
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Thursday he expects Dominguez to play regularly next season, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Boone currently envisions Dominguez as the team's primary left fielder, though he made that statement with the caveat that he will have to see how the offseason goes before making any definitive declarations. Dominguez led the club with 93 starts in left field during the 2025 regular season, but he had a diminished role over the final two months and finished with an uninspiring .257/.331/.388 batting line across 429 plate appearances.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Won't be ready for Opening Day
Rotowire
Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed Thursday that Cole (elbow) will not be ready for the start of the 2026 season, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.
Cole had Tommy John surgery with internal bracing in March, so the expectation has been that he will begin the 2026 season on the injured list. The hope is that his absence will be brief, but a clearer picture of his timeline will be available at a later date. Cole has begun throwing on flat ground but has yet to progress to mound work.
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Yankees' Anthony Volpe: Will begin next season on IL
Rotowire
Volpe (shoulder) will begin next season on the injured list, Deesha Thosar of Fox Sports reports.
Volpe underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder, an injury that he initially suffered in early May. The expectation is he will be ready to hit at the start of February, but he will not be allowed to dive on his surgically repaired shoulder until April or so. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman noted Thursday he expects Volpe back sometime in April or, in a worst-case scenario, May, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports. Per the Talkin' Yanks podcast by Jomboy Media, manager Aaron Boone said Thursday that, once recovered, Volpe will be "right in the mix" to serve as the team's starting shortstop to begin 2026. Jose Caballero is likely to serve in that role until Volpe is ready, and there are no guarantees Volpe gets the job back after he slashed .212/.272/.391 with 19 home runs and 18 stolen bases over 153 regular-season contests in 2025.
Yankees' Aaron Judge: Will not require elbow surgery
Rotowire
Judge recently underwent an MRI on his right elbow, and it's been determined he will not require surgery, Deesha Thosar of Fox Sports reports.
Judge needed a brief stint on the injured list after being diagnosed with a flexor strain in late July, and he was limited to designated-hitter duty for a month upon his return. However, the injury has either already healed or is on track to do so without surgery, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Thursday that he expects Judge to be ready to serve as the team's full-time right fielder next season.
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Yankees' Carlos Rodon: To miss time after elbow surgery
Rotowire
Rodon underwent surgery Wednesday to remove loose bodies and shave down a bone spur in his left elbow, Jorge Castillo of ESPN.com reports.
Rodon will not be allowed to throw for eight weeks and the operation "probably delays him" to begin the 2026 season, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Thursday. It sounds like the left-hander should be ready to make his season debut sometime in April, but a firmer timetable for Rodon's return will not be known for a while. The southpaw won a career-high 18 games during the 2025 regular season, finishing with a 3.09 ERA and 203:73 K:BB over 195.1 innings.
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