Yankees ace Gerrit Cole has seemingly avoided a worst-case scenario, and will just miss the start of the season after further tests revealed no tear in his elbow.
The news comes after Cole visited noted surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles for additional testing that confirmed the initial MRI results, which did not reveal a UCL tear, and the belief is that Cole can avoid Tommy John surgery, as first reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
The initial recommendation for Cole’s elbow is rest, rehab and non-surgical treatments. The feeling is that the reigning AL Cy Young winner will return in 10-12 weeks, per multiple reports.
Cole’s spring got off to an inauspicious start on March 1, when he allowed three earned runs on four hits over 39 pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays. Aaron Boone later said the righty had trouble recovering from that outing, adding that Cole felt like he does after tossing 100 pitches in a regular season game.
The ace pitched a simulated game six days later, but was then sent for an MRI. There was “cautious optimism” Cole would avoid Tommy John surgery, but he was expected to miss at least the start of the season.
Cole has been everything the Yankees expected him to be when they signed him to a massive nine-year, $324 million contract prior to the 2020 season, pitching to a 3.27 ERA while finishing top four in Cy Young voting three times.
The 33-year-old is coming off one of his best seasons, earning his first career Cy Young award after pitching to a 2.63 ERA while striking out 222 hitters across 209 innings.
The right-hander has also been extremely durable as a Yankee, making 30-plus regular season starts in the last three years. Prior to this injury, the only history that Cole had with elbow issues came back in 2016, when he hit the 60-day injured list with right elbow posterior inflammation, ending his season in mid-September.
Initially, the Cole situation did not reignite the Yankees’ pursuit of pitching, and with this news, it’s likely the team’s stance will not change.
