Yankees' Brian Cashman all but confirms doom with Gerrit Cole's injury

UPDATE: Cole has reportedly been recommended to undergo Tommy John surgery but will be seeking a second opinion before making the decision.

Unless major overtures are made, the New York Yankees' 2025 season could be over before it even starts. It's looking more and more likely Giancarlo Stanton could miss the entire year, and now it seems to be trending in that direction for Gerrit Cole.

The Yankees dropped injury news bombs on the fanbase Saturday, and Cole's already worsened about 24 hours later. Though the team is still waiting for him to undergo tests before making a determination based on the diagnostic imaging, it never helps when the commentary surrounding the situation lacks confidence.

Cole admitted he was "concerned" when asked about his elbow at spring training, and then Brian Cashman followed things up on Sunday with an honest analysis that has fans thinking worst-case scenario.

"I'm prepared for the worst, but we'll see how it plays out," he told reporters. Rarely is he that straightforward when it comes to injuries — the Yankees love to remain guarded and ominous.

But Cole's situation seems pretty straightforward. He dealt with elbow issues last year that forced him to miss half the season, and there was always a worry they would return since there was no official resolution. Very rarely does elbow inflammation foreshadow healthy years ahead.

Yankees Injury Update: Brian Cashman speaks on Gerrit Cole's elbow

There's no conceivable way the Yankees can replace Cole, or at least recreate the dominant 1-2 Cole-Max Fried duo atop the rotation. Cole is in a stratosphere of his own, even when you consider his problems with the long ball or facing the Red Sox. Very few pitchers of his caliber stay healthy for 30+ games per year and deliver ace-like results.

Fans have already begun to wander into imaginary trade discussions, listing various high-profile options, but none that would fully absorb the blow should Cole miss all of 2025 (stay tuned for further analysis on this topic soon). The Yankees can only hope to remain afloat until the trade deadline and assess their situation then. But it's more evident than ever Cole is in danger of missing a majority of the 2025 season, as fans await another wasted year of his prime (and Aaron Judge's).

All hope isn't lost considering the Yankees have a talented roster as well as some flexibility when it comes to moving pieces around, but it's hard to be opportunistic when your best pitcher and best postseason hitter could be down for the count before a single pitch is thrown.