Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery, marking a significant setback for the team.
The New York Yankees confirmed this news on Monday, indicating that the 34-year-old pitcher is facing a long recovery process.
Cole expressed concern about his right elbow after a challenging spring training outing against the Minnesota Twins, where he allowed six runs over 2 2/3 innings.
“I’m concerned,” Cole stated. “I’m hoping for the best.”
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman shared similar feelings during a press conference on Sunday, emphasizing the need to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
This injury marks the second consecutive spring training where Cole has faced elbow issues. Last year, he narrowly avoided surgery but was still sidelined until mid-June due to inflammation and edema.
Cashman noted that Cole’s previous experience with injury has helped both the player and the organization emotionally prepare for this current situation.
Historically, Cole has been a dominant force in the American League since his tenure with the Houston Astros, but his performance dipped last season. He finished with a 3.41 ERA, which, while respectable, included the lowest strikeout rate of his career at 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings.
Despite these challenges, Cole exercised his opt-out option in the offseason but ultimately decided to remain with the Yankees, sticking to the four-year, $144 million contract he signed during the 2019-20 offseason.
Cole’s injury is part of a troubling trend for the Yankees this spring. Giancarlo Stanton is also nursing an elbow injury that is expected to sideline him through Opening Day, and Luis Gil, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, will be out for at least three months due to a lat injury.
To bolster their pitching rotation, the Yankees signed Max Fried to one of the most lucrative contracts for a pitcher in MLB history last December. With Cole’s absence, Fried is likely to step into the role of Opening Day starter. Additionally, left-hander Carlos Rodón and right-hander Marcus Stroman, who was initially seen as a backup option, will be expected to play pivotal roles in the Yankees’ pitching lineup this season.
