Yankees Make Gerrit Cole Injury Announcement During Winter Meetings

A six-time All-Star since debuting with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013, Cole is 153-80 with a 3.18 ERA across 12 seasons. He was among the American League’s more valuable starting pitchers in his first five years with the Yankees, averaging a 3.12 ERA and 4.0 bWAR from 2020 through 2024.

Outside of a dreadful start in the 2021 Wild Card Game loss to the rival Boston Red Sox, Cole has also stepped up in the postseason. He owns a 2.93 ERA and a 78-20 K-BB ratio in 67 2/3 playoff innings with the Yankees, though he has allowed 10 home runs.

Cole has three seasons left on the nine-year, $324 million contract he signed with the Yankees in December 2019. The deal also contains a full no-trade clause, though there is no reason to believe either side would explore a trade in the near future.

Max Fried, who earned All-Star honors and won a Gold Glove in his first season with the Yankees, is the early frontrunner to start Opening Day against the San Francisco Giants. Fried finished his first Yankees season with a 2.86 ERA and a league-leading 19 wins in 195 1/3 innings.

Questions remain about who will join Fried in the rotation. Will Warren is likely to continue as a back-end starter after posting a 4.44 ERA in 162 1/3 innings over 33 starts. Luis Gil recorded a 3.32 ERA in 11 starts after returning from a lat strain, though he walked 33 and allowed five home runs. Cam Schlittler impressed with a 2.96 ERA and an 84-31 K-BB ratio in 14 starts and 73 innings as a rookie.

The Yankees also re-signed swingman Ryan Yarbrough earlier this offseason. Clarke Schmidt is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and could return in the second half.