Breaking down Yankees' roster and starting rotation questions for ALDS, tell me about this news today

The reporting and buzz heading into the New York Yankees’ upcoming ALDS matchup revolve around several pivotal decisions regarding their rotation and roster depth:

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1. The Game 1 Starting Dilemma Manager Aaron Boone has yet to officially lock in the Game 1 starter, weighing ace Gerrit Cole against left-hander Carlos Rodón:

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• Carlos Rodón brings significant momentum, finishing September with a sharp 1.42 ERA across his final regular-season starts, including an eight-inning shutout performance against Tampa Bay.

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• Gerrit Cole remains fully lined up on rest, with the coaching staff leaning heavily on his proven track record anchoring high-leverage postseason starts despite some late-season home run susceptibility.

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2. Rotation Order & Bullpen Crossover Behind Cole and Rodón, the Yankees are configuring starters such as Max Fried and emerging standout Cam Schlittler. The central strategic question is how deep into a five-game set they can carry traditional starters before needing one to pivot into multi-inning or “caddy” relief roles. How the staff manages the middle rotation dictates who serves as length out of the bullpen behind high-leverage arms like David Bednar.

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3. Infield & Roster Configuration Beyond pitching, roster questions linger around:

• Shortstop & Bench Alignment: Boone is assessing matchups between Anthony Volpe and Jose Caballero up the middle, alongside the deployment of defensive substitutions.

• Positional Health & Availability: Finalizing the 26-man ALDS cutoff, particularly managing outfield depth and veteran usage with bats like Giancarlo Stanton, Paul Goldschmidt, and Trent Grisham.