The second opinion couldn't save the New York Yankees from their worst fears. Gerrit Cole is officially set to undergo Tommy John surgery on Tuesday, ending his 2025 season before it could begin.
News that the pitcher might need season-ending surgery emerged on Sunday but there was still a chance another set of eyes on the injury might have spared Cole that fate. No such luck for the Yankees, who made it official on Monday evening.
Cole has been dealing with elbow inflamation since last spring training. He had to sit out a couple of months but made his return in June and managed to stay healthy enough to pitch for New York in the World Series.
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop between now and the MLB offseason.
Gerrit Cole injury update: Tommy John surgery officially set
After signing a new four-year contract to stick around with the Yankees, few would have worried about his ability to pitch in 2025.
Unfortunately for Cole and the Yankees, the elbow discomfort popped up again this year. This time for the worst.
Tommy John surgery will keep Cole out of action for the entirety of the 2025 season. Realistically, the Yankees should prepare for him to miss the start of the 2026 season as well.
Pitchers return from Tommy John as well as they ever have, so it's not a career ender. However, Cole is turning 35 in September. He'll be closer to 36 the next time he takes the mound for the Yankees and he'll still have to prove he can regain his All-Star form.
On the plus side for the Yankees, the decision to sign Max Fried to an eight-year, $218-million contact in free agency is looking very smart right about now. Losing Cole to injury would be a much bigger catastrophe than it already is if Fried wasn't stepping into the rotation.