New York Yankees Ace Gerrit Cole in Los Angeles to See Tommy John Specialist

The New York Yankees will be hoping for the best on Monday.

Feb 16, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) warms up during a spring training workout at George M. Steinbrenner Field. | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees are going to be hoping for some better news on Monday afternoon than has previously been reported.

After it was revealed on Sunday night Yankees ace Gerrit Cole had already been advised to have Tommy John surgery and was seeking a second opinion, things did not look good.

As first reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post however, New York's superstar right-hander is in Los Angeles this afternoon to meet with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the leading specialist and surgeon on the infamous procedure for pitchers.

Cole went to see ElAttrache around this time last year when he was dealing with an elbow injury and though he did wind up missing half the season, getting his opinion led to the ace being diagnosed with elbow nerve inflammation and edema which was able to be solved with rest.

It's not to say Cole is dealing with the same injury now, it very likely could be much worse and require the surgery. That being said, the 34-year-old is clearly doing all of his due dilligence before he elects to have his 2025 season end before it starts.

If Cole were to have Tommy John, even in a best case scenario he would likely miss the start of the 2026 season as well and would of course be nearly two years older than now by the time he was ready to pitch again.

While the blow of losing Cole is of course the most significant injury to rotation thus far, reigning American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil is out for at least three months as well.

A starting unit which once looked like arguably the best in baseball heading into camp is already thinning out tremendously, making it even more urgent for the Yankees to receive an at least somewhat positive prognosis on Monday.