MLB Insider: What the Gerrit Cole injury means for Yankees in free agency

With the news that the New York Yankees have sent star right-hander Gerrit Cole to receive an MRI on his right elbow, it puts the front office in a precarious position given the uncertainty around the injury for the rotation's ace.

If Cole’s injury is serious, replacing him is borderline impossible. There are free-agent options such as Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery available, and both were the highest-rated arms available this winter. But signing either would mean the Yankees would be taxed 110% on every dollar spent since they are over the $297 million payroll mark, making any potential signing of the two biggest names left on the free agent market highly unlikely.

Besides, replacing Cole -- even with Snell or Montgomery -- is an ultimately impractical task for the Yankees. He has established himself as the best right-handed pitcher in baseball, coming off a season in which he posted a 2.63 ERA in 209 innings and won his first Cy Young Award. He also has a 3.17 ERA in 1859 innings pitched in 11 career seasons.

What the Gerrit Cole injury means for the Yankees in free agency, beyond

But the good news is that Cole’s MRI is said to be for precautionary reasons, as Andy Martino of SNY reported. That does not mean the Yankees are out of the woods. There’s no telling what an MRI might show. But there’s optimism that Cole is not dealing with anything serious.

If that is indeed the case, and Cole doesn’t miss much time, then that is unlikely to put the Yankees in the market for an impact starter. Perhaps that could change at the trade deadline should the team need another starting pitcher.

But the 110% tax limits the Yankees’ options, and is unlikely to put them in the Snell or Montgomery markets.