Though New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole is awaiting a second opinion on his injured elbow, he has already been recommended to undergo Tommy John Surgery. If he gets the surgery, his season will be over before it could even begin.
The Yankees should pursue Sandy Alcantara to replace Gerrit Cole
Replacing Cole is nearly impossible, as he is one of the best pitchers in baseball when healthy. The 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner dealt with an elbow issue last season that kept him out for three months, but he was back to form in the postseason and delivered very strong performances.
The initial plan was to have Cole and newcomer Max Fried headline a rotation that would excel at putting hitters away. Now, the Yankees will likely be without their ace for the entire season, so they will need to pivot in a different direction and perhaps they will look externally for a new pitcher.
A player that they should pursue is Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara. The former Cy Young Award winner is coming off of Timmy John Surgery, which cost him the entire 2024 season, but the 29-year-old is now back and looks to rebound from the injury this season.
Alcantara would be a strong Cole replacement
The Marlins have been rumored to find a trade partner for Alcantara given the current state of their team, and the Yankees suddenly become a viable option. However, the price to get him will be far from cheap, and Miami knows that New York is in desperate need of a starter, so they may try to pry some of their top prospects in a deal.
Alcantara last pitched in 2023, where he threw 184.1 innings and recorded 151 strikeouts with a 4.14 ERA. The previous season, he won the Cy Young Award with a 2.28 ERA, 207 strikeouts, and a league-leading six complete games. The right-hander specializes in giving teams plenty of innings, and the Yankees could use that with the injury problems they are currently dealing with.
Nothing has materialized between the Yankees and Alcantara as of now, but once Cole’s status is confirmed, expect New York to quickly make a call to check in on the star right-hander.