Worst Preparedness NYY General Manager, Gerrit Cole Injury Fait accompli, and a career-wide crisis if surgery is decided
Mar 10, 2025
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Cole started the home exhibition game against the Minnesota Twins on the 7th (Korea Standard Time) and complained of right elbow pain after getting five hits, including two homers, and allowing six runs in two ⅔ innings.
Cole, who threw 54 pitches, had a maximum fastball speed of 97.6 miles and an average of 95.9 miles. It was clearly an improvement in speed and ball power from the maximum 95.6 miles thrown against the Toronto Blue Jays and an average of 93.9 miles on the 1st, his first appearance. But after the game, he felt something wrong with his elbow.
In an interview with local media on the 9th about the results of the examination, Cole said, `Maybe he needs surgery.' `I received the results of the first examination, and I am waiting for an accurate finding before I draw a conclusion" he said.
Cole also suffered an elbow injury in spring training last year, making his season on the injured list. It was because of elbow swelling. He is in a situation where he has not been able to play in the opening of the season for two consecutive years.
Cole "Something's wrong. But I still have hope, and I'm waiting for the opinions of experts." That doesn't mean I made an appointment to see Dr. Neil Elatrice, who had his elbow done last year.
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Last year's AL Rookie of the Year Lewis Hill was also diagnosed with three months of rehabilitation due to a right side injury.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said, `We are preparing for the worst, but we have to wait and see how the diagnosis will come out.' In the end, it seems that Cole's injury is accepted as a foregone conclusion.
If Cole is out of the rotation, right-hander rookie Will Warren and Carlos Carrasco and Alan Winans, who are participating in camp as non-rosters, will compete as five starting candidates.
In Warren's case, the situation is not good enough for Cole and Hill's injuries. "Cole, who has been an ace for a long time with a rookie pitcher, is sick" "It must be an unfortunate situation, but (for me) it is also clear that there is an opportunity. Taking advantage of the opportunity is what I'm doing. I have to be prepared in case I get a real opportunity."
Cole exercised his opt-out right after the end of last season and suddenly canceled it and decided to join the Yankees. He said he didn't feel anything physically wrong during the offseason. Cole "I've done what I've been doing since November last year. Planned and implemented with the club to prevent injury", he explained.
He then said of the lackluster performance against Minnesota, `Everything that happened in pitching a few days ago was good. But when I got home, the pain got worse. When I woke up the next day, I felt something was wrong. It was hard to sleep, and it was a shock" he said.
Cole pitched 209 innings in 33 games in 2023, going 15-4 with a 2.63 ERA and 222 strikeouts to win his first career Cy Young Award. In December 2019, he signed an FA contract for nine years and $324 million, the highest price ever for a pitcher at the time, and had his best season in four years since he wore a Yankees uniform. However, his elbow is expected to be in trouble this year following last year, which will significantly affect the rest of his career.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
