Aaron Judge is proving to be in top form during spring training with the New York Yankees, but several of his teammates have been dealing with injuries that will keep them out for Opening Day. Now, one of the team’s starting pitchers will undergo an elbow evaluation.
According to Jon Morosi, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole is experiencing elbow discomfort and will have to undergo a series of tests to determine his availability for Opening Day. His final status should become clear in the coming days.
This isn’t the first time Cole has faced this type of issue. During last year’s spring training ahead of the 2024 MLB season, he dealt with a similar situation that sidelined him for multiple weeks. The Yankees will now have to wait and see what the test results reveal.
Another player dealing with elbow issues and already ruled out for Opening Day is Giancarlo Stanton, who recently received a second round of PRP injections in hopes of avoiding surgery. With another key starter facing uncertainty, Judge has reason to be concerned about the team’s pitching depth.
Yankees Rotation Without Gerrit Cole
While nothing has been confirmed yet, there’s already an idea of how the Yankees’ rotation could look without Cole as the ace—something that undoubtedly worries fans. However, the team is fortunate to have the depth needed to keep the pitching staff competitive despite his potential absence.
- Max Fried
- Clarke Schmidt
- Carlos Rodón
- Marcus Stroman
- Will Warren
Notably, Luis Gil is also unavailable for Opening Day and is expected to be sidelined for at least three months. Stroman will be a key piece in maintaining rotation stability, and the Yankees hope he can deliver an even stronger season than last year.
Aaron Judge Sets Sights on World Series Return
Aaron Judge recently spoke with MLB about his desire to return to the World Series, emphasizing that all his teammates, including Gerrit Cole, share the same goal. “Everybody in this room is motivated to get back [to the World Series] and rewrite the script.” However, with Cole now facing a potential injury, that path could become even more challenging.