Yankees' Gerrit Cole 'concerned' over tests on right elbow

TAMPA, Fla. — What had been a relatively quiet Yankees spring training in 2024 was shattered in mid-March when Gerrit Cole went for testing on his right elbow.

Nearly a year later, the organization again is holding its breath regarding its ace.

Cole underwent diagnostic testing on the same elbow on Friday and, speaking early Saturday morning in the Yankees clubhouse, did not hide his worry.

“I’m concerned," Cole said, adding later that he's "hopeful” he isn’t facing a worst-case scenario. That, of course, would be Tommy John surgery, which would wipe out his entire 2025 season and potentially part of ’26.

“I’ve had some initial imaging, but I’m waiting on everybody to weigh in on it first,” Cole said. “I’m hoping for the best. We took the images, we have an initial idea, but we’re going to wait to see exactly what everybody says before we come to a conclusion.”

The righthander, diagnosed with right elbow inflammation last March – which caused him to start the season on the injured list and delayed his debut until June 19 – entered this spring saying he felt good, his 2024 issues completely behind him.

By all accounts, the 34-year-old was sharp in his bullpens and live batting practice sessions, and then in his first outing, Feb. 28 against Toronto, when Cole allowed one earned run and three hits over 3 1/3 innings in which he struck out five.

His second outing, Thursday against the Twins, was a different story as Cole allowed six runs and five hits, including two homers, in 2 2/3 innings.

Cole, who upped his pitch count to 54 on Thursday from the 46 he threw against the Blue Jays the start before, said he struggled with his fastball command but was overall pleased with his “velocity,” which peaked at 97.6 mph.

Cole, however, said he woke up Friday morning “alarmed” at how his elbow felt.

“There were a lot of good things that were happening in the game the other day,” Cole said. “But as I got home, I just continued to get more and more sore, and then I woke up the next morning…something wasn’t right.”

Asked directly if he’s worried about needing surgery, Cole said: “I’m concerned. I’m hopeful, though, but … ”

Cole said during Thursday’s game he didn’t feel anything that raised any red flags.

“Nothing abnormal or cause for apprehension,” Cole said. “But it was tough to sleep. It was alarming the next morning.”

Entering camp, and up until the elbow acted up, Cole said: “I felt the best I had felt in quite some time. I was in a good spot going into it (Thursday).”

The sudden uncertainty surrounding Cole officially puts the club’s rotation depth in complete disarray.

American League rookie of the year in 2024, Luis Gil, who coincidentally got his rotation chance last spring after Cole went down with his injury, will be out for at least the first three months of the season, and likely more, as he recovers from the right lat strain he suffered just over a week ago.

Marcus Stroman slid into his rotation spot and righty prospect Will Warren, who struggled in spots starts last year in the big leagues but who has impressed both the Yankees and opposing team scouts this spring, is next in line with Cole down. After that is a pair of non-roster invitees, Allan Winans and Carlos Carrasco, both of whom are in camp on minor league deals.

“I think the failure from last year, it takes that experience to learn, to kind of go through those trials,” the 25-year-old Warren, who went 0-3 with a 10.32 ERA in six outings (five starts) last season, said Saturday. “I also think my mentally has changed a little bit. I think I’m a little more confident out there because I do have that experience from last year. I know it wasn’t what I wanted it to be, but there is a little confidence going out there knowing that I’ve done this before, too.”

Ironically, the Yankees rotation mostly thrived in Cole’s absence last season. Among the reasons was righthander Clarke Schmidt, who was 5-3 with a 2.52 ERA through 11 starts until going down in late May with a right lat strain that cost him just over three months of time (Gil, Carlos Rodon, Stroman and Nestor Cortes were also very good during that stretch, Gil especially).

Schmidt, who has been brought along slowly this spring because of a back issue but is slated to pitch in a game next week and will make his regular season debut April 3 against Arizona, did not downplay the impact of Cole’s situation.

“Very tough,” Schmidt said. “There’s not a way to sugarcoat it. He’s a top-of-the-league type guy and an ace in this league for a long, long time. Obviously, he’ll be missed if its something longer term. Regardless, we have to pick him up as a staff. We did a pretty good job of that the first half last year when he was gone and we’re very capable of doing that again.”