Gerrit Cole's elbow injury cause is actually a good one

The New York Yankees will be without Gerrit Cole for 10-12 weeks after he felt a "twinge" in his pitching elbow during spring training action. Thankfully, New York avoided the worst-case scenario. Cole did not tear his UCL and he will not need Tommy John surgery, instead focusing on rest, rehab, and "conservative, non-surgical treatments," per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

While that is cause for celebration, the Yankees are in a pickle when it comes to piecing together the rotation in Cole's absence. After much speculation, Nestor Cortes was revealed as the Yankees' Opening Day starter. He has All-Star upside, but Cortes managed a 4.97 ERA in 12 starts last season. Health, durability, and consistency are major question marks.

Cole is arguably the best pitcher in baseball. He has certainly been the most reliable over the past decade. Last season saw Cole earn his first Cy Young victory after six straight top-10 finishes. He is a six-time All-Star, including three straight with New York. The Yankees have never really suffered an extended absence from Cole; this is uncharted territory.

If fans are looking for a pick-me-up, however, the reason for Cole's injury is... oddly encouraging.

"I think we determined that we just got a little too hot a little too quick this spring."

Yankees' Gerrit Cole says spring training injury was result of overly quick ramp-up

Look, you can't say Cole and the Yankees weren't eager to get after it this spring. The 2023 season was a disaster all around for New York, at least by the impossibly high standards of baseball's most historic franchise. The Yankees traded for Juan Soto over the winter and made a firm commitment to turning their fortunes around. That bled into their spring training ramp-up, it seems.

Obviously New York will take it slower next time around, as Cole's health is paramount to the Yankees' success. This injury actually hinders New York's ability to start the season strong, so — lesson learned.

But, all in all, the Yankees' spirit is right. New York has a lot to prove, even after their busy offseason. Without Cole in the rotation, we can expect the Yankees to drop a few extra games early in the season. Once Cole returns, however, New York should have the firepower to compete with any team, even in the loaded AL East.

Cole won't throw for 3-4 weeks. From there, New York will take it day by day and see how the ace progresses. His Cy Young defense is off to a poor start, but the Yankees' sights are set on October.