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Troubling Update on Gerrit Cole’s Elbow Injury

2024 is off to a rocky start for the New York Yankees. Jon Heyman and Mark Sanchez of the New York Post report that Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will miss at least the first month or two of the season with his elbow injury. The news comes after Cole underwent an MRI earlier this week after experiencing difficulty recovering between his throwing sessions.

While the news is worrisome, Cole and the Yankees might have caught a bit of a break. Initial tests on his elbow do not show any ligament tear, only some inflammation. This means that rest, rather than Tommy John surgery, would represent the most probable plan of action.

However, the reigning American League Cy Young winner is not yet clear. He will fly to California to visit with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, one of the premier doctors in sports. Heyman reports that while ElAttrache did not see any tears when he viewed initial tests on Cole’s elbow, he was concerned enough to recommend an in-person visit. That, obviously, does not bode well. For reference, ElAttrache is one of the premier surgeons who performs Tommy John.

Gerrit Cole’s Elbow Injury Sidelines Him Until At Least June

It seems that the team and fans came to terms with the fact that Cole would miss Opening Day. But the news of a potentially long-term absence still came across as jarring. 2024 is a crucial season for most in the organization. Not having their most important pitcher will make achieving the World Series goal even more difficult.
When manager Aaron Boone announced that Cole underwent an MRI, the team publicly and privately expressed optimism. They didn’t think it was anything too serious, especially because Cole did not experience any velocity loss in his Spring Training starts. Plus, they said Cole didn’t have much pain; his recovery was just issues.

However, the team’s reported actions told a different story. First, it’s never a good sign when a team seeks out multiple opinions on a potential injury. If the initial MRI came back pretty clean, there would be clarity in the situation. Unfortunately, that is not the case, and the Yankees decided they needed more tests, information, and clarity on Cole’s elbow injury.
Additionally, reports on Tuesday revealed that New York made another offer to the Chicago White Sox for starter Dylan Cease. While the Yankees have been connected to other starters all winter and spring, reports of increased efforts to acquire a starter after Cole underwent an MRI was not a good sign.
Yankees fans have lost faith in the team’s reporting of player injuries. There’s frustration in how initial reports downplay the severity of an issue; then, time eventually reveals the player was dealing with something far more severe. Cole’s elbow injury might not be the most recent example of this situation, but only time will tell.
Main Photo Credits: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Ryan Giglio

Ryan Giglio

A passionate sports fan all his life, he became a writer for Last Word on Sports in 2023. His favorite teams are the Mets, Nets, NY Giants and Jets.

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