In San Francisco before Wednesday’s season opener, the new york yankees placed ace Gerrit Cole on the 15-day injured list rather than the 60-day IL, a decision that reshapes the club’s early roster and recovery timeline.
Why did the New York Yankees put Gerrit Cole on the 15-day injured list?
Gerrit Cole, right-hander for the New York Yankees, was placed on the 15-day injured list instead of the 60-day IL. The shorter designation preserves the option for him to return sooner; had he gone to the 60-day IL, he would have been ineligible to pitch in a major league game until May 24. Cole underwent Tommy John surgery performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, Los Angeles Dodgers team physician, on March 11 of last year and has since made two spring training starts, on March 18 and on Tuesday.
What did Cole show in spring outings and what are the Yankees’ plans?
In his second spring training outing after Tommy John surgery, Cole allowed a home run to Alex Bregman and struck out three over 1 2/3 innings, throwing 26 pitches with 17 strikes. His fastball averaged 96. 2 mph in that appearance, down slightly from an earlier outing. Yankees manager Aaron Boone projects a season debut for Cole in late May or early June, and the team has structured its early rotation around off days and a four-man rotation that reduces immediate need for Cole to pitch right away.
How are other roster moves shaping the short term for the new york yankees?
The team also made multiple moves to reach a 26-player active limit. Left-hander Carlos Rodón, recovering from elbow surgery last October, was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to March 22. Shortstop Anthony Volpe, rehabbing from left shoulder surgery last October, was put on the 10-day injured list retroactive to March 22. Right-hander Luis Gil was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as the club leans on a smaller early-season rotation. The front office selected the contract of outfielder Randal Grichuk from the RailRiders, giving him a one-year deal that pays $2. 5 million while in the majors and $210, 000 in the minors, with up to $1. 5 million in performance bonuses tied to plate-appearance thresholds.
Those maneuvers reflect a blend of short-term roster calculations and longer rehabilitation schedules: players coming off surgery or lengthy recoveries are being designated to appropriate injured lists while the club balances active roster needs and service-time openings.
What does this mean for the season and player returns?
Placing Cole on the 15-day injured list leaves open a window for an earlier comeback than the 60-day option would have allowed, while other injured-list placements make clear the organization is managing recoveries conservatively. Cole’s 2024 season included a delayed debut because of nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow; in 2024 he went 8-5 with a 3. 41 ERA in 17 starts and was 1-0 with a 2. 17 ERA in five postseason starts. The team’s use of a four-man rotation early and the optioning of younger pitchers to Triple-A create roster flexibility as these recoveries proceed.
The moves also underscore how financial and roster details intertwine: Randal Grichuk’s contract includes major- and minor-league rates and performance bonuses tied to playing time, while roster designations affect who occupies active spots in the immediate weeks ahead.
Back in San Francisco, the decision to use a 15-day injured list for Cole, rather than the 60-day option, reads as a careful calibration — a way to keep a top-of-rotation arm linked to the club’s timeline without committing to a lengthy absence. With spring appearances logged and a projected late-May or early-June return on the table from manager Aaron Boone, the club’s early-season posture is one of guarded optimism as recovery plans play out.
