Yankees pitching notes: Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman, Luis Gil, bullpen

TAMPA -- Internal optimism about Carlos Rodon grew after the lefty threw a live batting practice session at the Yankees’ minor league complex on Tuesday, which is closed to the media. Two people in attendance said that Rodon’s fastball sat in the mid-90s, and touched 97 mph. 

That is a contrast to last spring when Rodon featured a 90-92 mph fastball in his early live sessions, Yankees people say. Rodon, as pivotal a pitcher as the Yanks have, is trying to bounce back from a disastrous first season in New York when he had a 6.85 ERA in just 61.1 innings. 

He reported to spring training this year early and significantly leaner. Now, the Yankees have a data point to reassure them that Rodon is healthy and throwing better than 12 months ago. 

Ace Gerrit Cole offered a measured answer to a question about his expectations for Rodon this year. 

“It's tough for me to say from a numbers perspective what I expect,” Cole said. “I expect him to handle his business like a pro, like he is. He's a fierce competitor. He's coming in here, ready to go. He's been down here for a while. That speaks to his dedication and his desire to improve on last year. 

“I think we will all be thrilled if you could return back to that peak form, but with that said, we can win a lot of games if he's just out there competing for us, because he's just such a tremendous competitor. And he wants the ball. Those attributes are kind of what I most expect from him, and what I've already seen so far.” 

Cole on Stroman 

Cole was effusive when asked about his new rotation mate, Marcus Stroman, calling him "one of the true masters of the sinker that we have in this game."

"My first thought about Marcus is just how great a pitcher he is," Cole said. "I’ve had the pleasure of watching him. His craft is slightly different than mine, but as a fellow pitcher it's still super fun to watch. You know he's always thinking out there and he's one of the highest and fiercest competitors that we have in this game. His level of consistency throughout his career speaks for how good of a professional he is and how talented he is.

"His look is a lot different than a lot of the guys that we have, which I think is important. Somebody in the middle in the middle of a rotation, or maybe even working towards the top if he needs to be, pitching to contact, pitching to ground balls, keeping guys off balance is certainly a different look than what Carlos, myself and Nestor are going to give you at the top."

Gil an intriguing arm 

After deciding not to pay the prices on free agent relievers like Jordan Hicks -- who nearly signed with the Yankees before pursuing a starting opportunity in San Francisco -- Wandy Peralta and Keynan Middleton, the Yankees seem an arm short at the back end of the bullpen. 

Luis Gil, now fully recovered from Tommy John surgery, is an intriguing option. Word at camp is that the plan for Gil is to keep him stretched out as a starter while remaining open to trying him in a pen role (the same is true for prospect Clayton Beeter). 

When Gil debuted in 2021, he featured a high-90s fastball, a plus slider, and a changeup that needed work because it touched 93-94 mph -- not nearly enough of a speed differential. The scouting opinion of him at the time was that he profiled as a reliever unless the changeup improved. 

"My dream is to be a starter," Gil told SNY on Thursday after throwing a live batting practice session. "That’s the honest truth right there. But at the same time, the focus is to help the team. Whatever it may be to help us win."

Yankees brass sees improvement in the changeup this spring. So does Austin Wells, who last caught Gil in spring training of 2021, and who faced him on Thursday. 

"I thought his fastball looked great," Wells said. "Having had some experience with him in the past, it looks arguably the same -- maybe even a little better.

"[In 2021] his changeup was his third pitch. [Today] his changeup looked great off his fastball. He located it well and there was a good enough speed difference. Obviously, he’s putting in a lot of work to get back to where he’s at, and I think he hit 96-97 today. He looked great.

"If he can locate his changeup and be able to throw it as a competitive pitch, that’s a three-pitch mix guy with an electric arm."

Gil’s injury might have carried a significant silver lining for the Yankees. Most evaluators rank him ahead of Jhony Brito and Randy Vazquez, two young pitchers who went to San Diego in the Juan Soto trade. Had Gil been healthier and more top-of-mind, the Yankees might have had to part with him instead.