The spring training blow that was losing Gerrit Cole not only cast a shadow over the New York Yankees' 2025 season, but also cast a shadow of doubt over the club's 2026 campaign as well.
While advancements have been made, the typical recovery time to get back on the mound following Tommy John surgery is 12-18 months. Given that Cole underwent the procedure in the middle of March, even the best-case scenario threatens his availability for Opening Day. Combine the fact that Carlos Rodón will also miss the first few weeks of the season, at least, and the state of the rotation is already as bleak as it was to start 2025, and spring training has yet to begin.