Can Brian Cashman Save the Yankees’ Season After Gerrit Cole’s Devastating Injury?
The New York Yankees’ 2025 season has already hit a major roadblock before Opening Day, as their ace, Gerrit Cole, has been ruled out for the year following Tommy John surgery. This is a massive blow for a team that had championship aspirations, especially given Cole’s dominance last season. With Luis Gil also sidelined due to injury, the Yankees’ pitching rotation suddenly looks far less formidable.
Cashman Faces Another Uphill Battle
Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman has been through plenty of adversity during his long tenure, but this challenge could be one of his toughest yet. While the Yankees could look for outside reinforcements, they are already over the competitive balance tax threshold, making big moves tricky. Instead, Cashman has hinted that the team will need to rely on internal options, with young arms like Clarke Schmidt and Will Warren expected to take on bigger roles.
“We’ve taken a number of hits in the starting rotation,” Cashman admitted. “We certainly can’t afford to take too many more.”
Is This a “Kill Shot” for the Yankees?
Some analysts, like Paul Hembekides of Baseball Tonight, don’t believe Cole’s absence spells doom for the Yankees. He argues that while losing their ace is significant, the team still has talent in Max Fried and Carlos Rodón. The Yankees’ bullpen remains strong, and their lineup, led by Aaron Judge, is still among the league’s best.
Cashman has been in tough spots before. In 2016, he traded away Aroldis Chapman at the deadline, only to re-sign him in free agency. Even in 2023—one of the Yankees’ most disappointing seasons—they still managed a winning record (82-80).
Reasons for Optimism in the Bronx
While spring training has been rocky, there are bright spots. Jasson Domínguez has been impressive, and Giancarlo Stanton is expected to return from injury. Carlos Carrasco, who signed a minor league deal, has been a surprise standout with a 2.35 ERA in spring training.
Even without Cole, the Yankees remain a dangerous team. The question is whether Cashman can work his magic once again and guide them through yet another season of adversity.
What do you think? Can the Yankees still contend, or is this the beginning of a long, difficult season?