The New York Yankees' starting rotation, led by a rare trio of aces, has been the team's strongest asset this season, offering a beacon of hope for a deep postseason run despite significant struggles from the offense.
Max Fried, Gerrit Cole, and Cam Schlittler have combined to anchor the rotation, which entered Monday with a major league-leading 13.4 fWAR. This dominance has been achieved even with injuries, as Cole missed the first two months due to Tommy John rehabilitation and Fried was sidelined for over two months with a left elbow bone bruise. Recently, with Fried's return to join Cole, Schlittler, Ryan Weathers, and Will Warren, the Yankees' pitching staff has elevated its performance. They have allowed one or no runs in nine of their last 12 starts and two or fewer runs in 10 of those 12 games.
Braves manager Walt Weiss acknowledged the challenge, stating his team faced "three No. 1s, really, three aces" during their recent series. Across three games, Fried, Cole, and Schlittler held one of the majors' highest-scoring lineups to just three runs on 12 hits and two walks over 20 ¹/₃ innings, striking out 27 batters. This performance underscores the rotation's potential, even as the Yankees' offense has faltered, pushing runs across the plate with difficulty.
"It’s tough, but that’s the reality of where we are right now," said manager Aaron Boone. "But also, it’s a big reason why I have the highest of hopes for our club still. Because I feel like the guy that takes the ball every day [gives us a strong chance to win] — and we have the ability to close out games, and I still fully believe that we are going to continue to get better offensively. But obviously we need to be the team we hope and expect."
Managerial staff and players have highlighted the pitching staff's recent dominance, especially given the caliber of opponents faced. Since July 6, Yankees starters have posted a 2.91 ERA in 29 games, the second-lowest in that span. During this period, they have faced several playoff-contending teams, including the Rays, Dodgers, Phillies, and Braves.
This strong pitching provides a historical parallel. When comparing the current top three starters—Schlittler (2.21 ERA), Cole (3.35 ERA), and Fried (2.88 ERA)—to previous Yankees postseason rotations, the current trio is considered among the best. Schlittler is the current American League Cy Young favorite, Cole is a recent winner, and Fried has the seventh-lowest ERA in the majors since the start of 2025 among pitchers with at least 250 innings pitched in that span. The Yankees' success in 1998, with David Cone, Orlando Hernández, and David Wells, is another benchmark for a rotation with at least three starters posting sub-3.65 ERAs with over 100 innings pitched. Other notable trios include the 2009 team with CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Andy Pettitte, and the 2003 World Series team with Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens, and David Wells.