CLEARWATER, Fla. ā New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will have an MRI of his right elbow after experiencing issues in bouncing back following spring training starts.
The 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner has been durable in career, making at least 30 starts in each of the last six full regular seasons.
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āHe described it as his recovery, leading into his next start, has been more akin to what he feels in the season when heās making 100 pitches,ā Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Monday. āHe usually doesnāt have the recovery issues heās having. Itās been more of a challenge, more taxing. So weāre going to get an MRI to see what weāre dealing with here.ā
The 33-year-old has been throwing fewer pitches in his spring training starts this year than other rotation members.
āI think thereās a level of discomfort, but I wouldnāt describe it as heās in pain,ā Boone said. āHis stuff and his command has been really good in his outings. Heās just having a hard time recovering like heās used to.āā
Cole is entering the fifth season of a $324 million, nine-year contract that pays $36 million annually. He has the right to opt out after the season and become a free agent, but if he opts out the Yankees can void the opt out by adding a guaranteed $36 million salary for 2029.
Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge is not expected to play again until Wednesday due to spring training fatigue.
āA little mid-spring kind of beat up just with all the work they do in the cage and backfield and stuff,ā Boone said.
Judge has not taken on-field batting practice the last couple days and was replaced after three innings and two at-bats, in which he struck out both times, in Sundayās game against Atlanta.
āWe want to make sure especially with your veteran guys, theyāre not overdoing at this time of year, but at the same time, obviously youāve got to ramp them up," Boone said. āHe actually does a really good job of governing and protecting himself.ā³
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB