Over the past few days, Aaron Boone has acknowledged the gravity of this moment multiple times.
“Gerrit Cole,” the Yankees manager said twice, and no further explanation was necessary.
The nightmare of spring is almost over, but Gerrit Cole is still expected to be the team’s ace this season.
After Cole visited Dr. Neal El-Atrash on Thursday, the Post has learned that it is believed the reigning Cy Young Award-winning ace can avoid Tommy John surgery.
The first recommendations for Cole’s problematic right elbow are rest, rehabilitation, and some conservative, nonsurgical treatment. It is believed he will be out for a month or two, maybe even longer.
Cole met with El Atrache in Los Angeles for further testing after his going out elbow did not bounce as Cole had hoped. El Atrache seems to have agreed with team doctors that there is no tear in his UCL.
The 33-year-old mainstay will likely be sidelined for a while, but for now the Yankees are hoping to get the current AL Cy Young Award winner back for a season of need.
Cole set off alarms around the Yankees by saying he would undergo an MRI on Monday after taking live batting practice for three innings and 37 pitches on March 7. A CT scan and X-rays followed, along with further tests and new eye exams. Because it was necessary, Cole flew to see one of the world’s most famous sports orthopedic surgeons.
Visits to El Atrace often end in horror, but Thursday night there was a celebration around the Yankees.
There may not be a more valuable pitcher in all of baseball than Cole. Cole has always been good and he rarely strays from his routine. Cole has started at least 30 games in each of 162 games over the past six seasons. In an era where his elbows and shoulders are vulnerable, Cole is a rare regular who has pitched more innings than anyone in MLB since joining the Yankees in the 2020 season.
There’s a lot of positives behind Cole in the Yankees’ rotation, but there are also a lot of unknowns. Marcus Stroman couldn’t stay healthy with the Cubs last season. Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortez couldn’t stay healthy (or perform) with the Yankees last year. Clark Schmidt will be looking to build on his solid but not stellar first full season in the rotation.
In a season in which the Yankees acquired Juan Soto, they haven’t extended an outfielder who could become a free agent at the end of the season, but Cole’s surest path to the World Series rests in Cole’s hands.
The Yankees still don’t know who their opening day starter will be, so adjustments may need to be made during the first month or two of the season.
However, the feeling after receiving key medical tests is that Cole will be back for a significant portion of the 2024 season, meaning the Yankees’ hopes for the season remain intact.
