{"id":32430,"date":"2025-03-12T03:44:18","date_gmt":"2025-03-12T03:44:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=32430"},"modified":"2025-03-12T03:44:18","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T03:44:18","slug":"breaking-yankee-relievers-who-could-take-a-rotation-spot-in-coles-absence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=32430","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING: Yankee Relievers Who Could Take a Rotation Spot in Cole\u2019s Absence"},"content":{"rendered":"
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On Monday, the New York Yankees received the skin-crawling confirmation that\u00a0Gerrit Cole\u00a0will miss the entire season due to Tommy John surgery. The team will need to rely further on their bullpen if additional starters are not an option.<\/p>\n

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The 2023 Cy Young Award winner started two World Series games last season. Cole was a freight train for the Yankees and the face of the rotation.<\/p>\n

The Yankees ace was experiencing pain in his right elbow in his last spring training outing. After seeing one specialist,\u00a0Tommy John surgery\u00a0was recommended, but so was a second opinion.<\/p>\n

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As feared, the second opinion confirmed that surgery was needed. This puts Cole on the sidelines until next season. This minimizes the rotation options to four, as\u00a0Luis Gil\u00a0is also sidelined until June.<\/p>\n

At this point of the year, turning a reliever into a starter or hybrid pitcher may be the most efficient and feasible fix. When it comes to Cole\u2019s first scheduled start, a bullpen day may be the best showcase to audition for the role. Which bullpen options are the most suitable for the Yankees?<\/p>\n