Due to the elbow injury reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole suffered early in spring training, Nestor Cortes will make the opening day start for the Yankees opposite Houston's Framber Valdes. Cortes, a veteran left-hander, endured a disappointing 2023 season, as injuries limited him to just 12 starts and a record of 5-2 with a 4.97 ERA, a season after going 12-4 with a 2.44 ERA in 28 starts.
After Cortes, the Yankees will try to get by on the mound until Cole's possible return at the end of May with lefty Carlos Rodon, who had a disastrous first season in the Bronx in 2023, veteran right-hander Marcus Stroman, who has ace stuff when on his game, but is better suited in the middle of the rotation, and 28-year-old righty Clarke Schmidt, who went 9-9 with a 4.