Several times over the past few days, Aaron Boone had acknowledged the gravity of the moment.
“It’s Gerrit Cole,” the Yankees manager had said twice, no further explanation needed.
The spring nightmare has nearly passed, and Gerrit Cole is still expected to be the team’s ace this season.
After Cole visited with Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Thursday, the belief is the reigning Cy Young award winner ace can avoid Tommy John surgery, The Post has learned.
Gerrit Cole is believed to avoid Tommy John surgery.AP
The initial recommendation for Cole’s troubled right elbow is rest, rehab and some conservative, non-surgical treatments. The belief is he will miss one to two months or perhaps just a bit more.
Cole met with ElAttrache in Los Angeles for further testing on an elbow that was not bouncing back from his outings as Cole wanted. ElAttrache apparently has agreed with team doctors that there is no tear in his UCL.
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The 33-year-old workhorse will miss some time, but at this point the Yankees are expecting to get the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner back for a season in which he is needed.
Cole set off alarms around the Yankees in undergoing an MRI exam Monday after a three-inning, 37-pitch live batting-practice session on March 7. A CT scan and X-rays followed, and still more tests and a new pair of eyes were needed, so Cole flew to see one of the world’s best-known sports orthopedic surgeons.
Visits to ElAttrache often end in dread, but Thursday night was cause for celebration around the Yankees.
There might not be a more valuable pitcher in all of baseball than Cole, who is routinely excellent and rarely strays from his routine. Cole has logged at least 30 starts in each of the past six 162-game seasons. In an era of fragile elbows and shoulders, Cole has been a rare constant who has pitched more innings than anyone in MLB since joining the Yankees for the 2020 season.
Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field.Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Behind Cole in the Yankees’ rotation is plenty of upside but plenty of unknowns. Marcus Stroman could not stay healthy with the Cubs last season. Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes could not stay healthy (or perform) with the Yankees last year. Clarke Schmidt is looking to build upon a solid but not spectacular first full season in the rotation.
In a season in which the Yankees have added Juan Soto — but have not extended the outfielder who can be a free agent at season’s end — their surest path to a World Series lies with Cole’s arm.
The Yankees still are not sure who their Opening Day starter will be, and the first month or two of the season might have to be stitched together.
But the feeling after a critical doctor’s appointment is Cole will be back for a substantial portion of the 2024 season, which means the Yankees’ season hopes are intact.
