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Unexpected Name Tops List as Yankees Mull Starter-to-Bullpen Move for Ace Gerrit Cole

Mohsin Baldiwala
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Unexpected Name Tops List as Yankees Mull Starter-to-Bullpen Move for Ace Gerrit Cole

USA Today

“The season is over” has become a familiar refrain among Yankees fans, especially since last year when injuries often proved the end of the season. In 2023, it was definitely an injury to red-hot Aaron Judge, that cost the New York Yankees a playoff berth. This season, the first such cry came when Gerrit Cole’s injury was announced.

The big, pressing question that followed: Who could realistically replace the Yankees’ Cy Young winner? Could the injury cause an impulse buy from Brian Cashman in spring training? The offseason suggested rumors linking Blake Snell to New York before he ended up signing with the Giants. Ultimately, the Yankees opted against outside pitchers, choosing instead to promote Luis Gil to the major leagues.

At the time, the prevailing assumption was that Luis Gil would be sent back down to the minors once Gerrit Cole recovered. However, 41 games into the season, it’s starting to look like Gil might not be the one who gets sent back.

There was another more short-term question that arose with Cole’s injury: Who will start against AL rivals, the Houston Astros on opening day? Finally, Nestor Cortes Jr. was to get the bump on Opening Day 2024. And now, 41 games into the season, he seems like the most likely candidate to be moved to the bullpen.

On the other hand, Carlos Rodon has stepped up as a solid stand-in ace for the Yankees, and while Marcus Stroman has been slightly up and down, the decision on who to send to the bullpen is coming down to Clarke Schmidt, Luis Gil, and Nestor Cortes.

This is the story their stats tell:

Nestor Cortes: In 9 starts, he has a record of 1-4, an ERA of 4.02, with 51 strikeouts across 53.2 innings pitched.

Clarke Schmidt: Over 8 starts, he’s 4-1 with an ERA of 2.95, logging 42.2 innings and striking out 47 batters.

Luis Gil: In 7 starts, he’s 3-1, with an ERA of 2.92, and has accumulated 45 strikeouts in 37.0 innings pitched.

The statistics present a pretty straightforward case. Based on his performances so far, Nestor Cortes emerges as the most likely candidate to transition to the bullpen when Gerrit Cole returns to the rotation, which is further highlighted by the 2022 All-Star’s recent start against Tampa.

The dilemma with Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil is their struggle to pitch deep into games. While Gerrit Cole is known to pitch deep and long, he could need extra protection from the bullpen when he just returns from surgery. Moreover, Nestor Cortes hasn’t been straight-up bad; he has shown a few flashes but is far from his peak in 2022. If Schmidt and Gil could extend their starts, Cortes’s argument for staying in the rotation weakens even further.

When will Yankees ace Gerrit Cole return to the rotation?

In 2023, Gerrit Cole had an outstanding season, and he won the AL Cy Young Award with 209 innings pitched, an impressive 2.63 ERA, and 222 strikeouts. However, 2024 started differently; known for his endurance and durability, Cole faced elbow pain in March, that led him to the the 60-day injured list, and he has yet to return to the rotation. Initial reports suggested a possible return by June, and optimistically, things seem to be going well so far, though I know better than possibly jinxing it.
On Friday, the Yankees ace completed his third bullpen session, throwing 29 pitches with an average velocity of 89 mph. He described the session as “pretty good,” a positive sign for the already winning Yankees team (26-15).
That said, despite his progress, the Yankees remain cautious, and will still refrain from commenting on a specific return date. And the 33-year-old pitcher will continue staying in Tampa for further rehab. Who do you think should be sent to the bullpen when Cole returns? Let us know your thoughts below!

About the author

Mohsin Baldiwala

Mohsin Baldiwala

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Mohsin Baldiwala, a baseball writer at the SportsRush whose love for the Yankees bloomed from the quirky 'Seinfeld' universe. With over 800 MLB articles, this two-year veteran journalist holds a BBA in Communications and is pursuing a Masters in Journalism. A diehard fan admiring Gerrit Cole, Baldi hopes the ace brings a title to the Bronx. Off the diamond, he finds solace in sitcoms, but can't shake the feeling that his Yankees fandom is just the latest elaborate scheme cooked up by the universe to leave him shirtless, brokendown, and screaming in the parking lot like a certain hapless George Costanza.

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