Fantasy News

• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Another bullpen session

  Rotowire May 7, 2024

  Cole (elbow) completed a bullpen session Tuesday and is expected to throw another bullpen this weekend, Jorge Castillo of ESPN.com reports. Cole is continuing to progress toward returning after throwing off a mound May 4 for the first time since being placed on the injured list in March. He tossed another bullpen session Tuesday without a setback and is expected to continue to ramp up his throwing efforts in the coming weeks. Cole appears to be on track for an early-to-mid-June return.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Takes big step in recovery

  Rotowire May 4, 2024

  Cole (elbow) threw 15 pitches off a mound Saturday, Max Goodman of The Newark Star-Ledger reports. This was Cole's first bullpen session since he was shut down from throwing in mid-March, thus it was a significant milestone as the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner works his way back to the Yankees rotation. Per Goodman, Cole was "giddy" after throwing Saturday, so it appears the session went well. The veteran right-hander is eligible to come off the IL near the end of this month, but recent reports suggest that mid-June may be a more realistic target.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Set for bullpen session

  Rotowire May 2, 2024

  Cole (elbow) is expected to throw a bullpen session Saturday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports. Cole will throw off a mound for the first time since being placed on the 60-day injured list with nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow in late March. The 33-year-old is reportedly targeting a return in "mid June," according to Heyman. The right-hander is eligible to be activated from the IL on May 27, but it appears as if he will remain sidelined for awhile longer than that. With his pedigree, it comes as no surprise that the Yankees are being cautious with their ace, who produced a 2.63 ERA with a 9.6 K/9 over 209 innings in 33 starts last year.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Without timeline for mound work

  Rotowire May 1, 2024

  Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that Cole had a "heavy day" of throwing off flat ground Tuesday, but the skipper is unsure when the right-hander will be ready to throw a bullpen session, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports. Cole has been playing catch multiple times per week for about two weeks while steadily increasing his throwing distance. He hasn't hit any reported snags in his recovery since resuming his throwing program, but it's not yet clear when Cole will be able to take the next meaningful step forward in his recovery from his right elbow injury by getting back on the mound. Boone also declined to speculate if a return before the All-Star break is realistic for Cole, who is eligible to be activated May 27 after opening the season on the 60-day injured list.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Continues throwing on flat ground

  Rotowire Apr 29, 2024

  Cole (elbow) threw on flat ground again Saturday, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the session went "really well," Max Goodman of The Newark Star-Ledger reports. Cole has been playing catch on flat ground for about three weeks, extending his throwing distance up to 120 feet. Boone indicated early last week that the ace hurler is getting close to throwing off a mound, and that could happen as soon as this week. If Cole continues to progress without setbacks, he could feasibly be ready to join the Yankees' rotation when he's eligible to come off the 60-day IL in late May.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Could throw off mound next week

  Rotowire Apr 23, 2024

  Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday that Cole (elbow) could begin throwing off a mound sometime next week, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports. Cole extended his flat-ground throwing to 120 feet Tuesday, which is typically the farthest distance from which a pitcher plays catch before he gets on a mound. While nothing definitive has been decided in regard to a bullpen session, it sounds like one could be coming within the next week or so. Cole is working his way back from nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Extends throwing to 120 feet

  Rotowire Apr 23, 2024

  Cole (elbow) extended his flat-ground throwing to 120 feet Tuesday, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports. It's usually the farthest distance a pitcher plays catch from before progressing to mound work, but Cole said Tuesday that he's not sure when he will throw a bullpen session. He will have a day of rest in his throwing program Wednesday before the next step is revealed. Cole isn't eligible to return until late May. It is still up in the air as to when he'll ultimately be activated.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Increasing throwing distance

  Rotowire Apr 16, 2024

  Cole (elbow) is expected to throw from up to 75 feet Tuesday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports. Cole has been playing catch for about a week, throwing from 60 feet on flat ground. He didn't throw Monday but is slated to resume play catch Tuesday, moving out an additional 15 feet. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner appears to be making steady progress in his recovery from nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow. He's eligible to come off the 60-day IL in late May.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Plays catch for second time

  Rotowire Apr 14, 2024

  Cole (elbow) played catch Thursday, MLB.com reports. Cole played catch for the second time since being placed on the 60-day injured list March 28 with nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that the ace hurler's session Thursday "went well," though it's not yet clear when Cole will next throw. The right-hander isn't eligible to come off the injured list until late May, and the organization isn't expected to push him to be ready by then, so he'll likely progress slowly through his throwing program.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Plays catch Monday

  Rotowire Apr 8, 2024

  Cole (elbow) played catch without issue Monday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports. It's the first time he's done any throwing since he was diagnosed with nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow. Cole will be brought along slowly, and it's going to be a while before we gain clarity on a potential return timetable. He is not eligible for activation from the 60-day injured list until late May.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Ready to start throwing program

  Rotowire Apr 7, 2024

  Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Cole (elbow) is scheduled to resume playing catch either Monday or Tuesday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports. Cole has been shut down for nearly a month after he was diagnosed in spring training with nerve irritation and edema in his throwing elbow, but he looks poised to begin what's expected to be a lengthy ramp-up process. Though Cole was fortunate to avoid Tommy John surgery after getting a second opinion on his elbow from Dr. Neal ElAttrache in March, a procedure of some kind could still be in the forecast if the right-hander fails to bounce back as anticipated once he resumes throwing. He'll likely be limited to playing catch off flat ground while gradually extending his throwing distance for at least a week or two before potentially gaining clearance to throw bullpen sessions. Since Cole was placed on the 60-day IL prior to Opening Day, he won't be eligible to make his season debut until late May.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Placed on 60-day IL

  Rotowire Mar 28, 2024

  The Yankees placed Cole on the 60-day injured list Thursday with right elbow inflammation. The initial timetable for Cole's return from his right elbow injury that cropped up a few weeks ago was 1-to-2 months, but it's clearly going to be closer to the latter end of that span. The hope is that the reigning American League Cy Young winner will be ready to begin a throwing program in a couple weeks, but the Yankees won't rush him for what will be a slow and steady buildup.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Could go on 60-day IL

  Rotowire Mar 23, 2024

  Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said last week that Cole (elbow) is a candidate for the 60-day injured list if the team needs to clear space on the 40-man roster, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports. This news is far from surprising given that Cole isn't expected to be able to start throwing until at least mid-April and would presumably need considerable time to build back up even if he doesn't encounter any setbacks along the way. The right-hander was diagnosed with nerve inflammation in his right elbow in mid-March and was originally estimated to be sidelined for 1-to-2 months, though Cashman's comments suggest the ace hurler is unlikely to make it back near the early end of that timeframe. It's logical to expect New York to avoid rushing Cole back into action considering the investment it made in him when it signed the former Astro to a nine-year, $324 million contract before the 2020 campaign.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Won't need surgery

  Rotowire Mar 14, 2024

  Cole (elbow) will rest and receive treatment to recover from his elbow injury after it was determined Thursday that surgery won't be necessary, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports. Cole was examined by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who determined that there was no tear in Cole's UCL. As a result, the right-hander will be able to avoid surgery of any kind. An exact timeline for Cole's return to the mound remains unclear, though he is expected to be sidelined for at least 1-to-2 months.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Sidelined at least 1-to-2 months

  Rotowire Mar 13, 2024

  Cole (elbow) is expected to be sidelined at least 1-to-2 months, Jon Heyman and Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post report. The report notes that preliminary exams haven't detected any damage to Cole's right UCL, but the Yankees had enough concern about the integrity of the ligament to send their staff ace to Los Angeles for an in-person visit with Dr. Neal ElAttrache. Heyman and Sanchez relay that the "hope and belief" is that Cole can return in May or early June after a conservative rest and treatment plan, but more will be known following the pitcher's exam with Dr. ElAttrache. Luis Gil, Will Warren, Clayton Beeter, Cody Poteet and Luke Weaver are the most likely internal options to fill Cole's spot in the Yankees' rotation, but the club could look for help from outside the organization.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Unlikely to be ready for opener

  Rotowire Mar 12, 2024

  Yankees manager Aaron Boone acknowledged Tuesday that Cole (elbow) is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, Erik Boland of Newsday reports. Boone did not have an update on the results of the MRI on Cole's right elbow, but even if the news is good, the hurler won't have enough time to ramp back up for the opener. Cole is slated for more tests Tuesday and Boone anticipates it being "a couple of days until everybody weighs in on it." Boland suspects Marcus Stroman would take Cole's spot as the Yankees' Opening Day starter, although the club hasn't made any official pronouncements yet.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Sent for MRI on pitching elbow

  Rotowire Mar 11, 2024

  Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Monday that Cole will undergo an MRI on his right elbow, Pete Caldera of The Bergen Record reports. Cole has been having difficulty bouncing back from from his throwing this spring, so he will be sent for testing to make sure he's not dealing with anything serious. A prognosis for Cole is not expected Monday and possibly not Tuesday, either, as he's slated for multiple opinions regarding the course of treatment. The reigning American League Cy Young winner has made just one Grapefruit League appearance this spring, giving up three runs over two innings back on March 1 versus the Blue Jays. If Cole needs to miss significant time, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Yankees upped their efforts to sign Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Facing live hitters Wednesday

  Rotowire Feb 21, 2024

  Cole is scheduled to face DJ LeMahieu, Anthony Rizzo, Anthony Volpe and Gleyber Torres over two innings Wednesday in his first live batting practice session of spring training, Pete Caldera of The Bergen Record reports. Since Cole had a healthy offseason, the Yankees could elect to slow play his Grapefruit League debut, but the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner should be fully ramped up by the time Opening Day arrives. Coming off a 2023 season in which he went 15-4 with a 2.63 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 222:48 K:BB over 209 innings, Cole is justifiably being taken as one of the first two pitchers in most fantasy drafts.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Stellar to finish campaign

  Rotowire Sep 27, 2023

  Cole (15-4) earned the win Wednesday, allowing two hits in a complete-game shutout against Toronto. He struck out five. It was a masterful performance from Cole, who notched his second complete-game shutout of the year in what'll likely be his final start this season. Cole all but wrapped up his first Cy Young award down the stretch, going 5-0 with a 1.29 ERA in his last seven outings. He'll finish the year with a 2.63 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 222 strikeouts across 33 starts (209 innings).

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Dominant for eight innings

  Rotowire Sep 21, 2023

  Cole (14-4) earned the win Thursday, allowing one run on just two hits over eight innings against the Blue Jays. He struck out nine. Cole was stellar Thursday, blanking the Blue Jays through seven innings while allowing just one hit before surrendering a run in the eighth on a wild pitch. The 33-year-old has bolstered his Cy Young case down the stretch, going 4-0 with a 1.59 ERA over his last six outings. His ERA is down to 2.75 through 32 starts (200 innings), best in the American League, with a 1.02 WHIP and 217 strikeouts. Cole will likely make one more start this season, currently scheduled as a rematch with the Blue Jays next week in Toronto.

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