The New York Yankees endured a major blow when it was announced starting pitcher Gerrit Cole would undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a torn right ulnar collateral ligament. Cole will now miss the entire 2025 season, leaving the reigning American League champions without their ace as they try to get back to the World Series.
With Cole now out for the season and reigning AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil dealing with a lat strain that is expected to keep him out until the middle of the season, the Yankees have limited options for their starting rotation.
Unfortunately, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman does not have high hopes of adding to their pitching depth at this point. Cashman said Tuesday that there are few pitchers available, and that they plan to “rely on what we have" at this point, via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Cashman noted that luxury tax penalties also make it "less likely" for the team to add a pitcher externally.
The Yankees will likely move forward with left-hander Max Fried, their prized eight-year, $218 million offseason signing, as the team's ace. Carlos Rodón, Marcus Stroman, and Clarke Schmidt will likely round out their top four starters, and Will Warren is a strong candidate to become the team's fifth starter.
Cashman and the Yankees could also pursue a trade, but MLB Network's Jon Morosi believes it's unlikely they could pull off a trade for San Diego Padres pitcher Dylan Cease. The Yankees could look elsewhere, or opt to go after another starter ahead of the trade deadline in July.
More of the Latest Around MLB
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Brian Cashman Gives Candidly Bleak Comments on Possible Gerrit Cole Replacements.
