- Cole has reportedly struggled with his recovery between starts
- Meanwhile, Judge is not expected to return to New York until Wednesday
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It’s two pieces of news that will have New York Yankees fans fretting about updates and fearing the worst: two of the team’s superstars are already dealing with injuries, and the season hasn’t even started yet.
Starting pitcher Gerrit Cole will undergo an MRI after experiencing some discomfort in his right elbow, according to manager Aaron Boone.
Cole was scheduled to start his second spring practice on Tuesday, but that has now been pushed back.
“His recovery before he gets to his next start has been more akin to what he feels during the season when he makes 100 pitches,” Boone said. ‘When he’s at 45 (pitches) and building to 55, he usually doesn’t have the recovery issues he has.’
‘I think there is a level of discomfort, but I wouldn’t describe it as pain.’
Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole to undergo MRI on pitching elbow after ‘discomfort’
Not only that, but Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge has been described as ‘beat-up mid-spring’
Yankees manager Aaron Boone says Judge won’t play again until Wednesday
That news in itself is bad enough, but was coupled with a poor prognosis for outfielder and team captain Aaron Judge.
Judge left a game against the Atlanta Braves early Sunday. When reporters asked Boone about his condition, the manager described his level of attrition as being ‘mid-spring.’
Boone added that Judge was not expected to play again until Wednesday — and that he would not take batting practice or participate in a split-squad game on Monday.
A season that started with some promise already appears to be in jeopardy with these injury problems.
The Yankees missed the playoffs 82-80 last season for the first time since 2016 despite Cole winning the Cy Young Award.
To prevent that from happening again, the team made a series of moves in the offseason — including trading outfielders Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo and signing free agent pitchers Marcus Stroman and Luke Weaver.