The Yankees announced a series of Opening Day roster moves today, with right-hander Gerrit Cole placed on the 60-day injured list. His 40-man roster spot will go to right-hander Nick Burdi, who was previously reported to have made the club.
Over recent weeks, Cole and the Yankees got a big scare when he was dealing with some elbow issues and was sent for testing. While this led to all kinds of panic about possible surgery and lengthy absences, the eventual news ended up being on the mild side compared to those doomsday scenarios. He was diagnosed with nerve inflammation and edema and recommended for non-surgical rehab.
That’s obviously a better outcome than sitting out the entire year or longer, but he’s still going to miss some time. His return will depend on how he progresses in the coming weeks but it’s been suggested he’s at least a month or two away from coming back. This move means he’ll be ineligible to be activated until late May, so the Yankees evidently don’t think he’ll be able to return before then.
In the meantime, the Yanks will roll out a rotation of Nestor Cortes, Carlos Rodón, Marcus Stroman, Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil to start the season.
Joe says...
Yankees have Burdi and Berti.
YankeesBleacherCreature
Sign Greg Bird to a minor league deal and trade for Jake Bird. It’ll be a full nest.
Joe says...
If only Mark Fidrych was still around.
The Baseball Fan
Sid finch…
dkhits20
Jeff Parrett
itsmeheyhii
You know, I saw the trade and was very confused at first lol.
178iq
Let’s see what the Yankees #5 starter does today in houston as opening day pitcher. I Bet he gives up 2+runs in the 1st. Doesn’t pitch 4 inning and Yankees lose 6-0.
HBan22
“It’s Ryne, not Ryan!”
luckyh
They seem better suited for the Orioles.
TheMan 3
After Burdi emerges from his cocoon, the Yankees will have Berti and Bozo
ST stats aside, he’s a clown during the regular season. History is not on his side
YankeesBleacherCreature
His total career 15.1 IP sure is telling.
Baseball dude
This was posted about 90 min ago. I’m shocked there aren’t dozens of comments by now. Yankee fans must be bored!!
filihok
Bd
There shouldn’t be much to say about it. There’s no real new information.
That the same idiots aren’t making the same idiotic comments they made on the earlier articles is good.
Joe says...
More like the trolls are bored.
YankeesBleacherCreature
On to their next impending TJS diagnosis.
178iq
Hahahaha
Cole could make as few as 10 starts. Then go for TJ. And be out 2025.
Tigers3232
1.78iq where was anything mentioned in article about his UCL let alone a tear?? Did you even read the article???
Juggy
I guess a little birdie told me
FOmeOLS
60 days. Backdated to when?
So Cole can’t be back until mid June or thereabouts?
walk off
3 Days Before Opening Day. So 3/25/2024
FOmeOLS
So that means he’ll come off the IL on May 25, but then he’ll have, what, two weeks of getting back to playing condition? So, mid June or thereabouts?
DickDollars
He can get into playing condition when he starts his throwing program. Based on the fact that Cole was shut down for 3-4 weeks about 2 weeks ago, that would put the start of his throwing the baseball again to mid-April (at the earliest). The reason the Yankees put him on the 60-day IL is that it will likely be a very long rehab process from that point. At least 2-3 months even if things go well. Someone on here targeted his return to after the All Star break (game is July 11). That does not sound unreasonable.
DickDollars
*Correction: 2024 All-Star Game is July 16. Texas Rangers host.
angryyankeesfan1
Cole can come back on May 27
FOmeOLS
I think you are misunderstanding. I am aware when he can come off the injured list, but once he does, so, he will still need time to get back into shape, rehab starts and such.
I’m assuming he can’t do those while he is on the IL? Or is that going to take place during his last couple of weeks or so on the IL?
YankeesBleacherCreature
He can rehab with ML team and pitch in the minors while on the IL.
Ncsaint
He can absolutely do rehab and such while on the IL. We don’t know if he’ll be on track to return that day based on his health, but the 60 day placement won’t be in his way.
itsmeheyhii
Pure speculation but I think we see him right after the all-star break tbh.
DickDollars
As I think through the timeline progression…
Start throwing program
Throwing from the mound
Bullpens
Game simulation
Minor league rehab
…that target date of after the all-star break makes sense. Especially considering the likelihood that the Yankees will probably take it pretty slow even if Cole has no setbacks.
Kc smoke
DO NOT PAY FOR PITCHING.
mlb fan
You have to pay for some pitching, but a team’s best bet is drafting and developing the majority of your pitching, ala the Seattle Mariners.
TheHighCheese4Me
But, they need to pay for hitters. And they refuse…
filihok
KcS
What an absurd comment
Definitely pay for pitching.
Just be smart enough to factor in the likelihood of injury and decline.
jjd002
Do not give out long term contracts to pitchers.
filihok
jjd
have terrible pitching then
Again, account for the possibility of injury and decline.
People are so bad at this
MLBTR should do a better job educating its readers
FOmeOLS
I bet you’re a hoot at parties…
mlb fan
People that speak and don’t allow others to speak to them are soft & weak in my honest opinion. “Filihok” basically calls everyone on this site idiots on a daily basis and then is too scared to take comments from others. That’s the textbook definition of “softie”.
HuntingtonAve
Why should it be the responsibility of MLBTR to educate their readers?
filihok
fome
The dumbest reply
Since your parties, apparently, are like MLBTR, we will never be at the same party
filihok
HA
Why would it not be?
FOmeOLS
We probably move in different circles… and I’m OK with that
filihok
fomeols at a party (according to them) :hears KC Smoke say ”
DO NOT PAY FOR PITCHING: Wow! What a hoot this party is!
filihok
fomeols
“We probably move in different circles…”
My circles don’t make stupid comments about baseball at parties, so you’re right.
FOmeOLS
Shhhhh watch your game.
Astros up 4-0…
Meanwhile, over in Baltimore…
filihok
FOme
This is why I don’t like to fraternize with your kind
Your apparent assumption about my rooting interests isn’t as correct as you think it is.
Also, your attempt to insult me with what’s happening with the team I happen to root for is…well, pathetic.
jjd002
My team passes out very few long term contracts for pitchers and have ran the AL the last 7 years. Perhaps you need to listen to me.
FOmeOLS
You realize, of course, that your second and third paragraphs contradict each other.
And I wasn’t being insulting, I was just telling you to hush. I’m not going to tell you anymore.
Have a splendid day
filihok
FOme
Muted (arrogant PoS)
filihok
jjd002
“My team passes out very few long term contracts for pitchers and have ran the AL the last 7 years. Perhaps you need to listen to me.”
LOL
Dumb as [feces]
C Yards Jeff
@JJD, yes and no to long term contracts. Not a Braves fan, but like how GM AA goes about paying SP. Strider 24 yrs old gets 6 yr deal. Sale 35 with injury history 2 year deal. Logic prevails!?
All said; bottom line is it’s how and how much the owner wants to spend on team payroll in any given year.
jjd002
That’s correct. Lock up young players to below market deals. Do not pass out long term contracts to free agent pitchers.
BrianCashmansBurner
🙁
McNasty1
Cole should just go ahead and get TJ surgery now. Get it over with.
mlb fan
“Get it over with”..One of the top 2 or 3 orthopedic surgeons in the United States says he doesn’t need TJS, so I’ll take his opinion over yours.
Domingo111
Montgomery could really have helped the Yankees. The team still has big upside and could be a monster offensively but if Cole doesn’t recover and rodon doesn’t bounce back the rotation would be really thin and they likely miss the post season.
But if rodon and Cole come back strong they could also win 100 games.
Liberalsteve
If the overrated yankees win the division over Baltimore, I’ll eat my shoe
FOmeOLS
The Yankees are just fighting for second place, and I think the Blue Jays will have something to say about that.
Yankee Clipper
OVERrated? Uh, have you looked at more than one projection? Because they don’t align with what you’re assuming they say.
LactatingAlgore
Funky Cole Edema.
Wrian Washman
Either start a rebuild after Soto walks and an ALDS exit or sell the team. I promise you fellow Yankees fans this franchise will not die just because of a couple 70 win seasons. We’re not the Dodgers. We don’t know how to draft and develop. We have Cashman not Friedman.
YankeesBleacherCreature
It’s Opening Day and this is all you can think of to say? (The Yankees won today btw.)