Gerrit Cole is facing a long road to recovery, as the New York Yankees announced he will undergo Tommy John surgery. This news is significant not just for Cole, a Cy Young winner and six-time All-Star—the ace of the Yankees’ rotation—but also for a franchise that has its sights set on championship contention in 2025.
The timing of the surgery, set for tomorrow, will keep Cole off the mound for the entire 2025 season. In his five years in New York, he has consistently been among the league’s best, finishing in the top five of Cy Young voting three times and taking home the award in 2022. His impressive pitching stats include a 3.12 ERA and a 19.9 WAR (Wins Above Replacement), demonstrating just how crucial he has been to the Yankees’ success. Given this context, the Yankees will have to act quickly to offset the vacuum left by their star pitcher.
Entering the 2025 season without Cole is certainly a blow, but it’s not a complete disaster for the Yankees’ pitching staff. They do have some solid pieces to work with. Max Fried, a two-time All-Star and runner-up in the 2022 Cy Young voting, will lead the rotation, bringing significant experience and talent to the top of the lineup. However, as you dig deeper into the rotation, concerns begin to emerge.
Carlos Rodon has struggled to find consistency since donning the Yankees’ pinstripes, which raises red flags about his ability to carry a heavy load. Clarke Schmidt is still in the early stages of his career, and while there’s room for growth, he lacks the seasoned reliability needed in critical matchups. The ongoing struggles of Marcus Stroman coupled with Luis Gil’s injury woes put the Yankees in a precarious position. If these issues mount, New York could find itself in serious trouble as it navigates the challenges of a competitive AL landscape.
This is where Sandy Alcantara enters the conversation as a potential game-changer. After an elite performance in 2022, during which he claimed the Cy Young award, Alcantara faced a setback with a down season in 2023 and then missed all of 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery himself. But now, he is healthy and back on the radar, ready to make an impact.
With a career ERA of 3.32 and a WAR of 20.3, Alcantara possesses the kind of pedigree that could seamlessly fill the void Cole’s absence creates. The Miami Marlins have a history of dealing their star players, and it would not be surprising to see Alcantara follow suit, making this a critical opportunity for both teams involved. The Marlins could use this chance to acquire young assets to continue their rebuild, while the Yankees could effectively replace Cole’s production for the upcoming season.
In a league where pitching depth is paramount, bringing in a talent like Alcantara could be the move that helps keep the Yankees’ championship aspirations alive in a Cole-less rotation. The off-season may be unpredictable, but if the Yankees can pull off this trade, they could bolster their chances of remaining competitive while they wait for their ace to return. The stakes are high, and the Yankees must act swiftly if they want to maintain their status as contenders in the ever-challenging MLB landscape.
