After the Boston Red Sox's first great offseason in years, debate ensued about them potentially being the best team in the American League East.
The latest updates from New York Yankees camp suggest there may be no more room for debate. In recent days, critical players have been injured, causing multiple blows to New York's roster and making Boston's look great in comparison.
MLB insider Jim Bowden reported on March 9 that Gerrit Cole has been recommended to undergo Tommy John surgery. The team is awaiting a second opinion to confirm the need for the procedure, but the 34-year-old could face an extended absence and rehab even if he doesn't need it.
Cole was shut down due to elbow issues at the beginning of the 2024 campaign. He pitched his first game on June 19 and posted a 3.41 ERA with 99 over 95 innings in the regular season.
If the righty can't fight through the damage in his arm as he did last year, the Yankees' rotation will be without him all season and possibly into 2026. New York will also begin the season without 2024 Rookie of the Year winner Luis Gil due to a lat strain that will keep him sidelined for at least three months. Marcus Stroman stepped into Gil's rotation spot after his injury woes began, but the Yankees don't have a clear replacement for Cole if he needs season-ending surgery.
Gerrit Cole has been recommended to have Tommy John surgery, per @JimBowdenGM
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 10, 2025
The Yankees are waiting on a second opinion to confirm pic.twitter.com/QsNKR8tCYI
Injuries to Yankees' Gerrit Cole, Giancarlo Stanton open path to top of AL East for Red Sox
The Yankees' rotation — Stroman, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt — is much weaker without the 2023 Cy Young Award winner Cole, and their bats have also taken a hit. Giancarlo Stanton has been battling elbow injuries since before the start of spring training, and he recently received a brutal diagnosis.
Stanton has "severe" tendon injuries in both elbows that have prevented him from swinging a bat and even hampered his grip strength in his daily life, according to Brian Hoch of MLB.com. Stanton has received two rounds of platelet-rich plasma injections in an attempt to avoid a potential season-ending surgery, but he may not be able to stave it off.
Stanton, 35, also played through pain in his elbows last year and he's known for spending quite a bit of time on the injured list. His bat helped carry the Yankees through the playoffs to the World Series, though — he contributed 15 hits, seven of them homers, and 16 RBI during their postseason run.
Without Stanton in the lineup, Aaron Judge will be New York's main source of pop. The Yankees' batting order has already weakened since last season after they lost out on Juan Soto to the Mets in free agency, and Stanton's injury could be a crushing blow to their plate production. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Cody Bellinger and top prospect Jasson Domínguez may be New York's best hitters in 2025 besides Judge.
If the injuries to Cole and Stanton are season-ending, the Red Sox will take firm hold of the best rotation in the AL East and potentially the strongest bats. Sure-fire starters Trevor Story and Alex Bregman have had success at the plate during spring training and new rotation additions Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler have looked nearly untouchable on the mound. Kutter Crawford and Brayan Bello may start the season on the IL, but Boston's depth is far superior to New York's and Quinn Priester or Richard Fitts could easily take over the fifth rotation slot until they're healthy.