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Yankees Provide Bleak Injury Update on Cousin of $180 Million Star

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Zach Kaplan | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 6:00 PM ET

The prospect of Yankees reliever Jake Cousins and his brother, star NFL quarterback Kirk Cousins both succeeding in the MLB and NFL provided a rarely-seen spectacle.

Kirk's up-and-down tenure with the Minnesota Vikings, and controversial time with the Atlanta Falcons, coincided with the Yankees' under-the-radar signing of his brother, who served a crucial role down the stretch for New York.

Jake was traded from the White Sox in March 2024 for cash considerations, and pitched in 37 games as the Yankees made a push to the World Series with Juan Soto still in tow.

With Jake's rehab being paused due to a UCL injury, the optics didn't look good.

With all signs pointing to Tommy John surgery, The Yankees confirmed on Monday that Cousins would undergo surgery on Wednesday.

On Thursday, manager Aaron Boone stated that Cousins may have UCL damage, with the skipper adding that Cousins was 'trending' towards the surgery on Saturday.

Cousins will undergo the surgery with Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, according to the Daily News' Gary Phillips.

The surgery ends Cousins' 2024 season and likely will see him miss most of his 2025 season. More personally, it's a brutal blow for a player whose unlikely success story inspired many Yankees fans.

Cousins, who pitched for the University of Pennsylvania, was drafted in the 20th round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals, and only pitched in 21 games from 2022-2023 after a strong rookie season with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Cousins, who pitched to a 2.37 ERA for the Yankees in 2024, was a big part of their run to the Fall Classic.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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