The dream of seeing Max Fried and Gerrit Cole form an imposing duo in the New York Yankees’ rotation has abruptly vanished. The news that Cole will need to undergo Tommy John surgery, which will keep him out of action until the 2025 MLB season, has sent shockwaves through the team and its fanbase.
Max Fried, who joined the Yankees on an eight-year, $218 million contract, has expressed deep sadness over his teammate’s injury. The expectation of seeing both pitchers lead the rotation has been dashed, and Fried now faces the responsibility of taking on an even more crucial role for the team. Cole’s injury not only affects the pitching rotation but also raises questions about the Yankees’ ability to compete at the highest level next season.
Fried, speaking to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, shared his feelings about Cole’s injury: “With Gerrit, I really feel for him. It stinks,” Fried said. “He’s a competitor, and he wants to be out there. He definitely didn’t take this decision lightly. I was really excited to be able to share a dugout and play with him. That will just be delayed a bit.”
Despite the magnitude of the loss, Fried has emphasized that his approach will not change. “At the end of the day, no one is Gerrit Cole, right?” Fried said. “I’ve got to take the ball every time that I take the ball. It doesn’t matter if he was on the mound or not. Realistically, it’s just about doing my job. It’s going out there and making sure that, when I take the ball, we have a really good chance to win that day.”
Fried’s challenge: Taking the lead in the pitching rotation
Gerrit Cole’s injury has left a significant void in the Yankees’ pitching rotation, and Max Fried now faces the challenge of stepping up as the team’s ace. Fried’s ability to remain consistent and lead by example will be crucial to the Yankees’ success.
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The Yankees’ outlook for the season and the need for adaptation
Cole’s injury, along with other setbacks for the team, raises questions about the Yankees’ ability to compete at the highest level in MLB. The real question is how the Yankees will adapt to these losses and find solutions to maintain their competitiveness.
