TAMPA, Fla. — The New York Yankees will be without their ace pitcher Gerrit Cole for the remainder of the season as he is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. The procedure is set for Tuesday and will be conducted by Dr. Neal ElAttrache at the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, where Dr. ElAttrache serves as the head team physician for the Dodgers.
Gerrit Cole, who has been a key player for the Yankees, expressed his determination to return stronger. In a statement, he said, “This isn’t the news any athlete wants to hear, but it’s the necessary next step for my career. I have a lot left to give, and I’m fully committed to the work ahead. I’ll attack my rehab every day and support the 2025 Yankees each step of the way. … I can’t wait to be back on the mound — stronger than ever.” His need for surgery came to light after he experienced discomfort following a spring training session last Thursday.
The Yankees already face challenges with injuries to other key players. Luis Gil, a promising starting pitcher and last year’s American League Rookie of the Year, will be out for around three months due to a strained lat muscle. Giancarlo Stanton, the team’s designated hitter, is also unavailable indefinitely with tendon pain in both elbows, and infielder DJ LeMahieu is recovering from a calf strain.
Manager Aaron Boone addressed the injury woes by telling the YES Network that adaptability and resilience are essential. “You’ve got to be able to handle it and deal with it and maneuver,” Boone said. “It’s not a death sentence for us by any means, so it’s an opportunity for someone else. … The reality is Gerrit still has a lot of pitching in front of him in his career and pitching with the Yankees and we want that to be as successful as it’s been already.”
Cole’s performance in spring training was promising despite the discomfort. He pitched flawlessly in the first inning and clocked a fastball at 97.6 mph in the second inning. However, he also gave up a three-run homer to Matt Wallner and a solo homer to Brooks Lee.
The 34-year-old pitcher joined the Yankees with a massive $324 million, nine-year contract signed before the 2020 season. In 2023, he won the AL Cy Young Award and finished the season with an impressive record despite battling nerve irritation and edema. Cole went 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA in regular-season games and excelled in the postseason with a 2.17 ERA in five starts.
Recently, Cole opted out of his contract post-World Series, foregoing $144 million over four years, but the Yankees decided against extending his contract further. He ultimately chose to stay with his existing agreement.
Throughout his MLB career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, and the Yankees, Cole boasts a record of 153-80 with a 3.18 ERA spanning over 12 seasons.
In Cole’s absence, Max Fried will likely lead a rotation alongside Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt, and Marcus Stroman. The Yankees may also look to Will Warren or Carlos Carrasco to fill the open pitcher slot in their rotation.
