The New York Yankees could face the reality of losing right-hander Gerrit Cole for the entire year. According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, Cole has been suggested to have Tommy John surgery.
“According to source, Gerrit Cole has been recommended to have TJ surgery… but they are now waiting for a 2nd opinion to confirm the diagnosis #Yankees,” Bowden wrote.
Tommy John would keep Cole out of the Bronx for at least the entire 2025 season, putting a massive hole in the top of the Yankees rotation. While replacing him would have to be a plan, there aren’t many realistic options to get a deal done unless the Yankees are willing to move a few top prospects.
Who Could the Yankees Trade For?
If the New York Yankees are looking to replace Cole, Sandy Alcantara would be the top option to pursue. He’s healthy again, and that’s all the Yankees need to know. The right-hander was among the best arms in baseball when he was on the mound, winning the Cy Young Award in 2022.
He posted a 2.28 ERA and 0.98 WHIP that season, dominating hitters at the highest level.
But for the Yankees, do they have enough to grab him?
Zach Pressnell of FanSided put together a deal that might be the Yankees’ best option, pitching a trade of Spencer Jones, Will Warren, and Roderick Arias for Alcantara.
“A deal for Alcántara would be huge. The righty was the best pitcher on the planet in 2022 en route to a Cy Young award. He took a step back in 2023 and was injured for the entire 2024 season, but his 2025 spring training performances have looked more like his 2022 season than anything.
“Jones has all the tools to be a big leaguer right now. He likely won’t get that chance with the Yankees this season unless somebody goes down with an injury, but the young star could get that chance with Miami. Warren. meanwhile, would slot right into the Marlins rotation. He’s flashed dominant stuff this spring, led by a devastating sweeper. Arias isn’t a big league-ready prospect, as he’s still 20 years old, but the middle infielder has tremendous raw tools. He’s exactly the kind of prospect Miami is looking to add right now,” Pressnell wrote.
Do the Yankees Have Enough?
The New York Yankees prospect pool isn’t what it once was. Sure, Jasson Dominguez and Jones are intriguing prospects, but Dominguez has yet to show much at the big league level, and Jones had a below-average year in the minors in the last campaign.
According to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, Alcantara would require an excellent haul for the Yankees to land him, so much so that the Miami Marlins could even ask for Dominguez and more.
“In Alcantara’s case, the price to land him would be higher than Cease’s because the Miami Marlins’ ace won’t become a free agent until 2028. He’s owed $17.3 million in 2025 and 2026, and he has a club option for $21 million in 2027. The Marlins could certainly ask the Yankees for Jasson Domínguez and a top-five prospect, especially knowing the club is leveraged,” Kirschner wrote.
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