The New York Yankees face a pitching crisis after losing Gerrit Cole for the season and Luis Gil for several months. Trading away Nestor Cortes this offseason now looks like a mistake, as the Yankees could have used his proven starting pitching experience. The team will have to rely on Marcus Stroman, Carlos Carrasco, and Will Warren to fill the gaps.
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The New York Yankees are facing a significant setback after learning that their star pitcher Gerrit Cole will miss the entire 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery. This news follows the earlier announcement that Luis Gil, the reigning American League Rookie of the Year, will be sidelined for several months with a lat issue. Suddenly, the Yankees’ pitching staff, once a strength, has become a major concern.
The Yankees had traded away Nestor Cortes this offseason, believing they had sufficient pitching depth. Cortes was sent to the Milwaukee Brewers in a deal that brought Devin Williams to New York. While Williams is an All-Star closer, relievers are generally easier to find than proven starting pitchers like Cortes.
Cortes had an impressive season with the Yankees last year, making 30 starts and posting a 9-10 record with a 3.77 ERA. He struck out 162 batters in 174.1 innings, maintaining a 1.15 WHIP. In his career, Cortes has appeared in parts of seven seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, and Yankees. He won a career-high 12 games in 2022 and was an All-Star.
With Cole out for the season and Gil sidelined, the Yankees are left with veteran Marcus Stroman and potential starters like Carlos Carrasco or prospect Will Warren. The loss of Cortes is now acutely felt, as the Yankees could have used his experience and reliability in their rotation.
The old adage that you can never have too much pitching rings true now more than ever. The Yankees will surely miss Cortes, especially as they navigate the challenges of the 2025 season without their star pitcher.
