Experiment injured ace? Gerrit Cole’s altered mechanics behind Yankees’ injury crisis

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Just as the Yankees’ spring training ramps up in March 2025, alarming news has emerged from the team’s camp: Gerrit Cole is undergoing diagnostic tests on his right elbow following a troubling outing against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday. The development has sent shockwaves through the Yankees’ fanbase and raised pressing questions about the ace’s health, his recent mechanical tweak, and the team’s prospects for the upcoming season.

Cole, the 34-year-old cornerstone of New York’s rotation, struggled mightily in his second spring start, surrendering six runs on five hits—including two home runs—over just 2⅔ innings. While his fastball still touched an impressive 97.6 mph, averaging 95.7 mph, the post-game fallout revealed a far more concerning story.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Cole admitted, “I’m hoping for the best. In the game there was a lot of good stuff happening the other day, but as I got home I just continued to get more and more sore.” The soreness was severe enough to prompt an MRI, the results of which have left him “concerned” as he awaits second opinions from specialists.

This isn’t the first time Cole’s elbow has cast a shadow over the Yankees’ season. A year ago, in March 2024, he was sidelined with nerve irritation and edema in the same elbow, delaying his regular-season debut until June. That injury limited him to 17 starts in 2024, though he still managed an 8-5 record with a 3.41 ERA and shone in the postseason with a 1-0 mark and a 2.17 ERA across five starts. Now, with the 2025 campaign looming, the recurrence of elbow trouble has reignited fears that Cole’s $324 million, nine-year contract—signed ahead of the 2020 season—could be in jeopardy.

Is pitching tweaks reason behind Cole’s latest injury?

What’s particularly intriguing—and potentially worrisome—about this latest episode is the spotlight it’s thrown on a subtle but significant change in Cole’s mechanics. Analysts at Pitch Profiler, a cutting-edge pitching analytics platform, noted a marked shift in his arm angle during Thursday’s outing. In 2024, Cole’s average arm angle sat at a relatively low 42 degrees. Against the Twins, however, it spiked to between 48 and 54 degrees—a difference that might seem minor to the untrained eye but could carry profound implications for his elbow health.

Prior to this setback, Cole had been working on enhancing his pitching arsenal. In his first spring start against the Toronto Blue Jays, he showcased a more developed changeup, a pitch he used sparingly in the previous season. Over 3.1 innings, Cole threw 15 changeups, generating three swings and misses. He expressed satisfaction with this development, stating, “I really like where I’m at. I liked what I saw.” Both manager Aaron Boone and catcher Austin Wells praised the improved changeup, indicating its potential as a valuable addition to Cole’s repertoire.

Research from biomechanics experts Rafael Escamilla and Glenn Fleisig underscores the stakes. Their studies suggest that a higher arm slot increases elbow valgus stress, a force that places strain on the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL)—the same ligament often repaired in Tommy John surgery. Could this adjustment be the culprit behind Cole’s discomfort? The pitcher himself didn’t offer much clarity when pressed by the media in Tampa on Saturday. He neither confirmed nor denied tweaking his delivery intentionally, leaving open the possibility that the elevated arm angle was an unconscious compensation for an underlying issue.

The timing is shocking

The timing couldn’t be worse for the Yankees, who are already reeling from a rash of injuries this spring. Reigning American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil is expected to miss at least three months with a high-grade lat strain, while other key players like Giancarlo Stanton (elbows), DJ LeMahieu (calf), Clayton Beeter (shoulder), and JT Brubaker (ribs) are doubtful for Opening Day on March 27 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Cole’s potential absence would leave a gaping hole atop a rotation that was once considered a strength, especially after the team inked Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million deal in December 2024 as a contingency following Juan Soto’s departure to the Mets.

So, why the arm angle change? Theories abound. Was Cole chasing more velocity or spin rate? The data says no—his metrics remained consistent with past performances. Was it a deliberate experiment gone awry? Pitching coach Matt Blake had previously described Cole’s offseason as “normal” and his health as “fully intact,” suggesting no premeditated overhaul. Or, as some speculate, was he masking discomfort that predated the outing? Cole’s reticence on the matter only fuels the mystery, leaving fans and analysts to dissect every pitch for clues.

The stakes are sky-high for the Yankees, who reached the World Series in 2024 only to fall to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cole, the 2023 AL Cy Young winner after a dominant 15-4 season with a league-best 2.63 ERA, is the linchpin of their title hopes. His career stats—3.18 ERA, 2,251 strikeouts over 1,954 innings across stints with the Pirates, Astros, and Yankees—speak to his elite status. But at 34, with a history of elbow woes, the specter of a major procedure like Tommy John surgery looms large. Such an outcome could sideline him for most, if not all, of 2025, forcing general manager Brian Cashman to scramble for reinforcements.

Looking ahead: Implications for the season

Already, the rumor mill is churning. Names like Dylan Cease (Padres), Sandy Alcantara (Marlins), and even former Yankee Michael King have surfaced as potential trade targets should Cole’s prognosis worsen. For now, though, the focus remains on the medical evaluations trickling in over the next few days. Manager Aaron Boone, ever the optimist, will lean on Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman, and Clarke Schmidt to steady the ship, with Fried likely stepping up as the Opening Day starter if Cole is out.

As the baseball world holds its breath, one question lingers: Did Gerrit Cole’s new arm angle cost him—and the Yankees—more than just playing time? The answer, much like the outcome of New York Yankees’ season, hangs in the balance. Stay tuned as this story develops, with updates expected by mid-March 2025.

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