It’s official. The New York Yankees announced today that their ace, Gerrit Cole, will undergo Tommy John surgery tomorrow, ending his 2025 MLB season.
The right-hander reported discomfort in his pitching elbow after his start on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins. He was reportedly advised to undergo surgery and sought a second opinion from Dr. Neal ElAttrache today.
Dr. ElAttrache will perform the surgery.
Cole experienced similar elbow discomfort last spring, but managed to avoid surgery, opting for rest instead. He began the 2024 season on the injured list and returned on June 19, finishing with an 8-5 record and a 3.41 ERA — a far cry from his Cy Young performance in 2023.
Cole signed a nine-year, $324 million contract with the Yankees in December 2019, which runs through 2028.
The Yankees will also be without Luis Gil, the 2024 American League Rookie of the Year. Gil is sidelined until at least June with a lat strain.
The starting rotation — once the Yankees’ strength — is now their chief vulnerability.
Max Fried, who signed with the team in the offseason on an eight-year, $218 million deal, will now step up in Cole’s place as the No. 1 starter.
Carlos Rodon, who the Yankees signed to a six-year $162 million deal in 2022, has proven to be inconsistent. The same goes for Marcus Stroman, who the Yankees were reportedly shopping around to trade this spring. Stroman had a strong first half of 2024, but struggled in the second half.
Rookie Will Warren, who has impressed in spring training, is likely to be added to the rotation. Right-hander Clarke Schmidt proved to be a reliable starter last year, finishing with a 2.85 ERA in 16 starts.
The Yankees may have to take additional steps to bolster their pitching staff, potentially even trading top prospects. That may require parting ways with outfielder Jasson Dominguez.
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