New York Yankees SP Gerrit Cole undergoes MRI to determine his status before MLB Opening Day

Posted by DavidGreen
Mar 18, 2024

Introduction

The New York Yankees ace starting pitcher, Gerrit Cole, is scheduled to undergo an MRI examination after he experienced some, "discomfort," in his right elbow, the New York Yankees manager, Aaron Boone, expressed to the major sports media outlets in Florida on the morning of Monday, March 11th, 2024.

Boone spoke prior to the New York Yankees Grapefruit League game the other day as he said that the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner (Cole) has not been recovering as normally expected between his spring training outings.

"His recovery, before getting to his next start, has been more akin to what he feels during the season, when he's making 100 pitches," the New York Yankees skipper, Aaron Boone, explained to the sports reporters. "When he's at 45 [pitches] and building to 55, he usually doesn't have the recovery issues he's having.

"I think there's a level of discomfort, but I wouldn't describe it as he's in pain."

Gerrit Cole

The now 33 - year - old Gerrit, was recently scheduled to participate in his 2nd - spring training starting pitching assignment last Tuesday. On Cole’s last preseason start he gave up 3 - runs over 2 - plus innings in his spring training debut versus the Toronto Blue Jays back on Friday, March 1st, 2024. Just 6 - days after that Gerrit threw only 47 - pitches throughout 3 - innings in a simulated pitching start. Cole did not report any discomfort in talking with reporters following that simulated outing.

Cole has made at least 30 - starts in each of the past 6 - full Major League Baseball regular seasons with both the New York Yankees as well as the Houston Astros.

"He usually doesn't have the recovery issues he's having. It's been more of a challenge, more taxing," Boone went on to say to the media last Monday. "So, we're going to get an MRI to see what we're dealing with here."

Last Thursday Boone stated that Gerrit’s overall outing was, "pretty good. ... he had a good time out there."

When Cole was asked why he pitched in a simulated game versus his teammates and not later that night in an MLB preseason game vs. the Detroit Tigers, Gerrit mentioned that it was just part of the plan of the New York Yankees.

"That's what we just had on the schedule," the New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole expressed. "And it gives us a little opportunity to force feed a couple of different pitches. We threw a couple extra change - ups today. We're really trying to get a good feel for that. But just a little bit of a download. And, like I said, just part of the schedule."

Cole managed to go 15 and 4 with an overall ERA of 2.63 as well as 222 - strikeouts throughout his 209 - innings on the mound for the N. Y. Yankees during the past 2023 MLB season. Gerrit is entering the 5th - year of his $324 million 9 - year contract that he inked several years ago which pays Cole out $36 million on an annual basis. Gerrit has the right to opt out following this season in order to become a free agent, but if Cole opts out the New York Yankees can void the opt out by adding a guaranteed $36 million salary for the year of 2029.

Other New York Yankees Concerns

In other Yankee news, New York’s veteran big - time slugging center fielder Aaron Judge is not anticipated to play again until this Wednesday because of some spring training fatigue and discomfort in his core or midsection. Judge just wants to start the crucial 2024 MLB healthy and hopefully not run into a bunch of injuries this year.

Aaron has not participated in on - field batting practice over the course of the last few days, and he was replaced after only 3 - innings and 2 at - bats the other day in which he struck out both times, in last Sunday's spring training game against the Atlanta Braves.

The New York Yankees are preparing to start the 2024 MLB regular season without their best starting pitcher in Gerrit Cole.

The N. Y. Yankees skipper, Aaron Boone, told reporters last Tuesday in Florida that it, "would be difficult," to picture Cole not making the New York Yankees Opening Day start as he deals with this nagging unspecified right elbow injury.

Gerrit is the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, and he underwent an MRI on his right elbow on Monday, March 11th, 2024. Boone told reporters that Cole will have more testing completed on his throwing arm on Tuesday, March 12th, 2024. Boone made it known that a prognosis is not completely imminent.

"It's probably going to be a couple of days until everybody weighs in on it," Boone goes on to say.

Who will start for the New York Yankees on Opening Day?

Boone said the New York Yankees have begun deliberating on who will make their Opening Day start versus the Houston Astros on Thursday, March 28th, 2024. The best available options are Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman, and possibly Nestor Cortes.

The Most Recent News regarding Gerrit Cole’s Availability

The New York Yankees starting pitcher in Cole has been presently shut down for the time being, and he was reported to have visited the specialist, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, in Los Angeles, CA last Wednesday for further testing and examinations on his right elbow (throwing arm).

The New York Yankees manager in A. Boone disclosed that there is currently no timetable for how long Cole will be sidelined with his injury. Gerrit has already been confirmed to being ruled out for the New York Yankees Opening Day game, and he is likely to begin the 2024 MLB season on the injured reserve list unfortunately.

Cole underwent an MRI on his right elbow down in Florida earlier in the last week following him reporting major, "discomfort." Boone told the media the past Wednesday that Gerrit did not bounce back as he normally does between his starting pitching assignments.

"His recovery, before getting to his next start, has been more akin to what he feels during the season, when he's making 100 pitches," Boone reported publicly. "When he's at 45 - pitches and building to 55, he usually doesn't have the recovery issues he's having.

"I think there's a level of discomfort, but I wouldn't describe it as he's in pain."

Cole was last slated to make his 2nd - spring training start this past Tuesday, but he gave up a total of 3 - runs over his 2 - plus innings of work on March 1st, 2024 vs. the Toronto Blue Jays. Gerrit threw a total of 47 - pitches over his 3 - innings on the mound during in a simulated game facing the N. Y. Yankees batters several days later. Cole did not mention any discomfort when he talked with the media following that sim action.

Gerrit was previously placed on the MLB injured reserve list with elbow inflammation back in September of 2016 while with the Pittsburgh Pirates early on in his illustrious big - league baseball career. The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner in Cole is presently playing under the 5th - season of his major 9 - year deal worth up to approximately $324 million.