The New York Yankees will open the American League Wild Card Series without Carlos Rodón on the mound as a starter, a decision that lands as disappointing news for the left-hander after a strong late-season stretch.

Manager Aaron Boone confirmed the rotation Sunday after rain washed out the club’s regular-season finale against the Baltimore Orioles. Cam Schlittler will start Game 1 on Tuesday night against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Max Fried is lined up for Game 2. Gerrit Cole would pitch Game 3 if the series goes the distance.

That alignment leaves Rodón without a start in the best-of-three matchup. For a pitcher who has looked sharp since returning from injury, the news is a setback even if the team still plans to keep him on the roster.

Rodón finished the regular season 7-3 with a 2.67 ERA across 16 starts. Over his last seven outings he posted a 1.89 ERA, giving the Yankees a fourth starter performing at a high level just as October began.

Boone said he expects to have Carlos Rodon on the roster to pitch out of the bullpen in the Wild Card series. Will Warren will also move to relief duty for the short series.

The arrangement is practical. A best-of-three format only requires three starters, and the Yankees have four quality arms. Schlittler, the AL Cy Young favorite, earned the opener. Fried and Cole follow. Rodón becomes the odd man out for now.

That does not erase the disappointment. Starters typically want the ball in October, not a relief role after months of building toward a postseason start. Rodón has dealt with elbow issues this year, including surgery last offseason and a midsummer inflammation stint, yet he delivered when he returned.

Boone has described the group’s depth as the club’s greatest strength.

“It’s clearly our greatest strength this year and we haven’t had it all together at different times obviously, but I do feel like all four of those guys are throwing the ball incredibly well right now at the right time,” Boone said.

The Yankees still value that depth. If they advance past Boston, the next series would be best-of-five. In that case Rodón would be a strong candidate to return to the rotation, possibly as early as Game 1 or Game 4 of an AL Division Series.

For this first round, though, his assignment is different. The bullpen role could include multiple innings if a starter exits early or a game tightens late. It is useful work, but it is not the same as lining up for a start against a rival the Yankees just faced in last year’s Wild Card round.

Boston presents a familiar test. The Red Sox and Yankees meet again in the Bronx after New York eliminated them a year ago. Schlittler already has a strong playoff history against them. The rest of the staff will be asked to follow.

Rodón’s recent form made the choice harder, not easier. A 1.89 ERA over seven starts is the kind of run that usually locks in a postseason start. Instead, the short series and the presence of Schlittler, Fried and Cole pushed him to the side.

The Yankees have not framed the move as a demotion. Boone has said Rodón remains very much in the conversation. Still, conversation is not the same as a Game 1, 2 or 3 assignment.

Playoff baseball often rewards flexibility. A left-hander with Rodón’s stuff could help bridge innings or face a key stretch of Boston’s lineup. That value is real. It does not change the fact that he will watch the first two games from a different vantage point than he likely hoped.

If New York wins the series quickly, Cole might even be held for the next round and Rodón’s path back to starting could open sooner. If it goes three games, Cole takes the mound and Rodón stays in reserve.

Either way, the initial announcement is clear. Rodón will not start in the Wild Card Series. For a pitcher who finished the year pitching well, that is the disappointing part of Sunday’s news.

The focus now shifts to Tuesday. Schlittler takes the ball first. Fried and Cole wait behind him. Rodón waits in the bullpen, ready if needed, and hoping the series lasts long enough — or the next series arrives soon enough — for another chance to start.