The New York Yankees built a dominant starting rotation over the offseason. After losing Juan Soto, Brian Cashman pivoted quickly to make their strength pitching. However, an injury to Luis Gil halted expectations for the rotation. Now, they have another major scare with Gerrit Cole
The ace is scheduled for testing on his elbow after a disastrous spring training outing. Cole gave up six runs in 2.2 innings of work against the Twins on Thursday.
Without Cole, the Yankees would be left with Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt, and Marcus Stroman as locks in the rotation. The 25-year-old Will Warren could be an option for the fifth and final spot. Last season, he posted a 10.32 ERA in six games in the pinstripes. He’s shown promise in Spring Training, but his recent big-league performance wasn’t fun.
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Without Cole, the Yankees might not even be the AL East favorites
Cashman’s Yankees were three wins away from capturing their 27th championship. Without the 2023 American League Cy Young, their chances of returning to the World Series will take a significant hit. Luckily, they signed Fried to an eight-year deal, so he’ll take the number one spot if Cole is out for the start of the season. Nevertheless, losing the six-time All-Star would halt them.
New York doesn't have the lineup they did last season. Outside of Aaron Judge, no one on their roster has hit over 30 home runs in the previous two seasons. Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt got added to the lineup, but their best years are behind them. Aaron Boone will also count on young players to make an impact, but that’s a huge if.
Looking at the other teams in the AL East, the Yankees don’t stack up well. The Boston Red Sox added Alex Bregman, Garrett Crochet, and Walker Buhler. With Jaren Duran and Rafael Devers already there, they could leap forward. The Toronto Blue Jays also had a great offseason. They added Anthony Santander and Andrés Gimenez. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is in a contract year, which is dangerous. Adding to that, Bo Bichette will be looking to bounce back.
Boone’s squad isn’t having a fun Spring Training. They already lack a third baseman. Oswaldo Cabrera, who holds a .233 career batting average, is expected to take over third base while DJ LeMahieu is out. Even LeMahieu has struggled over the last four seasons, posting a .698 OPS and a .252 batting average since 2021. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Aaron Judge, and Cody Bellinger are the only hitters in their primes. The rest need to prove they're capable of being impact bats, along with Goldschmidt trying to prove he’s still a reliable bat.
The Yankees should be worried if Cole’s tests aren’t promising. Losing not just Gil and their ace won’t help. Cashman put together a roster to prevent runs this offseason. Without the reigning AL Rookie of the Year and the two-time Cy Young, that plan could blow up in their face.