Yankees Reliever Jake Cousins Likely Facing Tommy John Surgery

Cousins, 30, suffered a forearm strain during Spring Training, was placed on the 60-day IL with a flexor tendon strain and then had his rehab assignment paused by pectoral discomfort in the middle of May.

After resuming his rehab, Cousins initially struggled before being shut down again, this time with a UCL injury that almost certainly will lead to Tommy John Surgery. While it’s true that some pitchers have been able to avoid that particular surgery and return to the mound after receiving PRP (Platelet-rich plasma) injections, that is usually only if the tear in the UCL is minor.

The Yankees have not yet stated the severity of Cousins’ UCL injury, but given everything that has happened to him this year, one would have to believe that it is significant.

Another thing for the team and pitcher to consider is what happened to Gerrit Cole. New York’s ace was initially sidelined at the start of last season with an elbow injury but sought to return to the mound without undergoing surgery. Cole had an up-and-down half-season before eventually undergoing surgery on March 11th of this year, likely knocking him out until at least the middle of 2026.

So, in Cousins’ case, if the tear is indeed more than a minor one, perhaps it would be best to get the surgery done and start the clock toward his potential return at the tail-end of 2026/start of the 2027 season, rather than continue to push it off and potentially not come back until the middle of 2027.

Either way, New York is in desperate need of bullpen help this year and Cousins is not going to be the answer.