Less than three weeks before Opening Day, the New York Yankees announced that star pitcher Gerrit Cole will undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbowCole will undergo surgery on his right ulnar collateral ligament tomorrow, Tuesday, and will miss the entire 2025 season, which will severely affect New York’s chances of competing for a World Series this season. With this, the six-time All-Star will miss the entire 2025 season.
This is undoubtedly a brutal blow for the Yankees, who have World Series expectations this season and will now be without their best pitcher. It doesn’t help that Luis Gil, Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu are also injured.
Gerrit Cole and his news that eclipsed the sporting world
The news caused a stir in the baseball world, and many fans took to social media to express their feelings about Cole’s injury
Yankees fans were particularly upset about losing their ace for next season, especially after it was recently reported that fellow starting pitcher Luis Gil will be out for at least three months with a muscle strain.
A New York fan on X (formerly Twitter) was quite outspoken in describing his feelings, and also highlighted the team’s defeat in last year’s World Series and the departure of Juan Soto to city rivals the Mets.
“Nobody has it worse than Yankees fans,” said the X user.
Another fan offered a longer list of bad news for the team this offseason, highlighting the World Series loss, Soto’s departure and injuries to Cole, Gil and Giancarlo Stanton.
The fan’s post on X concluded with “Will something good happen in 2025 for the New York Yankees?”
On the contrary, other fans offered a heartfelt message for the team ace.
“Gerrit Cole has been the most durable starting pitcher we’ve had in a long time,” said one X user. “He’s been dominant in the postseason for us since he became a Yankee. He won a Cy Young after the sticky substance scandal. He leaves everything on that mound for the pinstripes. We all knew it was going to happen, but losing our ace hurts. I can’t believe we have to go a whole year without seeing him pitch. Get well soon, Gerrit.”
Another fan also expressed support for the 2023 American League Cy Young Award winner, saying: “Fan of Gerrit Cole today, tomorrow and always. 45 forever.”
Other fans began to project the team’s prospects this season and in seasons to come.
A user on X said: “The Yankees won’t see Gerrit Cole until probably June or July next year. If they reload properly next offseason, then maybe they’ll be championship contenders again, but for now they’re not a championship team at all.”
Another fan was also unfavorable with the team’s chances of winning the 2025 World Series, but remained somewhat optimistic. He said: “It’s hard to see the Yankees winning a World Series without the contribution of Gerrit Cole. But that’s why we watch it.”
Without Cole and Gil, the Yankees will look to Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman and Clark Schmidt to lead the rotation to start the year. Will Warren is the favorite for the fifth starter spot, while Carlos Carrasco and Allan Winans are also contenders, according to MLB.com.
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