New York Yankees Ace, Gerrit Cole, to Undergo Season-Ending Surgery

The 2023 AL Cy Young winner felt elbow discomfort in Spring Training and will undergo Tommy John Surgery on Tuesday.

Gerrit Cole (45) of the New York Yankees throws a pitch in the second inning during a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 28, 2025. Brandon Sloter/Getty Images

Coming off their first World Series appearance in 15 years, the New York Yankees had aspirations of finishing the job in the 2025 MLB season by winning their 28th championship, but the likelihood of them coming to fruition took a hit on Monday with Yankees ace, Gerrit Cole, announcing he will undergo Tommy John Surgery on Tuesday, meaning he will miss the entirety of the upcoming season.

Cole announced the news on social media, saying in part, “Today, the most respected medical experts in the field recommend that I undergo Tommy John surgery. This isn’t the news any athlete wants to hear, but it’s the necessary next step for my career,” stated Cole.

“I have a lot left to give, and I’m fully committed to the work ahead. I’ll attack my rehab every day and support the 2025 Yankees each step of the way. I love this game, I love competing, and I can’t wait to be back on the mound—stronger than ever.”

The Yankees, and Cole, were preparing for the worst after he felt elbow discomfort during Spring Training. Cole never really seemed himself during MLB’s exhibition season as he began the spring on Feb. 28 with an average fastball velocity that was below his 2024 average and well below his career norms.

Then on March 6, he was pounded for six runs over 2.2 innings versus the Minnesota Twins. Shortly afterward, Cole underwent imaging on his elbow and told reporters he was concerned over what it may discover. He then traveled to the West Coast to be examined by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who checked out Cole and will be the physician to perform the operation on Tuesday.

The operation, named after former Yankee and 26-year MLB veteran Tommy John, involves reconstructing the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in the elbow. Its estimated recovery time is 12 to 18 months, thus knocking out Cole for all of the 2025 season, and perhaps, some of the 2026 MLB season. Shohei Ohtani underwent UCL surgery in September 2023, didn’t pitch at all last season, and isn’t expected to return to the mound until May, which will be 20 months after his operation.

Cole and the Yankees were hoping to dodge a bullet for the second straight year after last season started off with similar circumstances. The ace was sidelined during Spring Training last year with similar discomfort in his pitching elbow. However, that proved to just be inflammation and only delayed his season, not ending it. Cole made his 2024 debut in June, made 17 starts, and posted a 3.41 ERA with an 8-5 record.

He was then stellar in the postseason, helping the Pinstripes reach their first World Series since the 2009 season. Cole made five playoff starts, going 1-0 with a 2.17 ERA. He allowed a single earned run across 12.2 innings in the World Series as the Yankees fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.

The road back to the World Series will only be tougher without Cole, who won the American League Cy Young award in his last full season in 2023. He also has five other top-five Cy Young finishes over his career, which began with five seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Cole then spent two seasons with the Houston Astros and recently completed his fifth year in the Bronx. For his career, Cole is 153-80 with a 3.18 ERA and 2,251 strikeouts over 1,954 innings. Among active pitchers, Cole ranks fourth in wins and win-loss percentage (.657), while ranking fifth in strikeouts and WAR (42.8).

During the offseason, Cole triggered an opt-out clause in his contract but elected to remain with the Yankees on the terms of his original contract that he signed before the 2020 season. Counting 2025, Cole has four years remaining on the deal, paying him $36 million annually. The $36 million, to essentially rehab for the year, makes Cole the eighth-highest-paid MLB player in 2025, and the third-highest-paid pitcher.

The devastating news of Cole’s injury is the latest in a number of ailments that have afflicted the Yankees roster during Spring Training.

Fellow starting pitcher, Luis Gil, has a lat strain that is expected to sideline the AL Rookie of the Year for three months as the Yankees will have to piece together their starting rotation. Additionally, position players have also been hit by the injury bug as designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton and infielder DJ LeMahieu are both banged up and expected to start the regular season on the injured list.

The Yankees, coming off a 94-68 season and AL East crown, are 8-7 in Spring Training, which wraps up for them on March 25. They’ll then begin their regular season on Thursday, March 27 at home versus the Milwaukee Brewers.