Fantasy News

• 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 throw for several weeks

  Rotowire Mar 16, 2024

  Cole said Saturday that he is dealing with nerve inflammation in his right elbow and won't throw for three-to-four weeks, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports. A lengthy rest period was expected for Cole, although there is still plenty of room for him to appear later this season after it was determined his elbow won't require surgery. Cole remains without a firm timeline for his return to the Yankees' rotation, but a clearer picture may emerge after the end of his no-throw period.

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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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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Settles for no-decision Friday

  Rotowire Sep 16, 2023

  Cole allowed two runs on six hits and three walks while striking out four batters over five innings in a no-decision against Pittsburgh on Friday. Cole's highly anticipated first start in Pittsburgh (the team that drafted him) since 2017 ended up being a bit of a dud, as the Cy Young contender failed to complete six frames for the first time in five starts and struggled at times with his control, tying a season high with three walks. The Yankees ace nonetheless gave up just two earned runs, and he's held opponents to that amount or fewer in 10 of his 12 starts since the All-Star break. While this certainly won't rank as one of Cole's best performances this season, he probably didn't do anything to hurt his Cy Young case, and his overall numbers -- including a 2.81 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 208:48 K:BB over 192 innings -- remain excellent.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Tosses another gem

  Rotowire Sep 11, 2023

  Cole pitched seven scoreless innings in a no-decision against Milwaukee on Sunday, allowing three hits and striking out nine batters without issuing a walk. Cole was dominant in the outing, racking up 17 swinging strikes and finishing with his first scoreless outing since July 28 against Baltimore. The right-hander had to settle for a no-decision rather than extend a three-game win streak, however, as opposing hurler Corbin Burnes (ankle) held New York without a hit or a run over eight innings. Though the Yankees have struggled to keep pace in the AL playoff race, Cole has turned it on over his past four starts, posting a 1.35 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and 34:2 K:BB in 26.2 frames. He's among the league leaders in multiple pitching categories, including ERA (2.79 - third), WHIP (1.03 - first), opponents' average (.214 - seventh) and punchouts (204 - fifth).

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Keeps rolling Tuesday

  Rotowire Sep 6, 2023

  Cole (13-4) earned the win Tuesday, allowing a run on eight hits over six innings in a 5-1 win over the Tigers. He struck out seven. While the eight hits were the most Cole's allowed in a start since June 25, he managed to hold the Tigers to just one run, earning his third straight win and his 10th quality start in his last 12 outings. Cole's ERA is down to 2.90 with a 1.05 WHIP and 195:45 K:BB across 29 starts (180 innings) this season. He's currently lined up for a home matchup with the Brewers this weekend in his next outing.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Fans 11 in win over Rays

  Rotowire Aug 25, 2023

  Cole (11-4) picked up the win Friday, yielding two runs (one earned) on three hits and no walks over 7.2 innings in a 6-2 victory over the Rays. He struck out 11. Cole was in control all night, permitting just a solo home run to Yandy Diaz and having an unearned run charged to his ledger after he was lifted in the eighth inning. The right-hander's 11 strikeouts tied his season high, and he induced 17 swinging strikes on an even 100 pitches. It was a terrific bounce-back effort from Cole after his ERA rose above 3.00 for the first time all season when he coughed up six runs his last time out. The right-hander's ERA now sits at 2.95, and he's up to 181 strikeouts over 168 frames.

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Allows season-high six earned runs

  Rotowire Aug 19, 2023

  Cole dropped to 10-4 on the season in Saturday's 8-1 loss to the Red Sox, allowing six runs on seven hits and one walk over four innings. He struck out four. Cole unraveled in the second inning, giving up back-to-back singles and a walk to open the frame before surrendering a grand slam to Luis Urias. The right-hander would last just four innings, marking his shortest outing of the season, while also allowing a season-high six earned runs. He came into Saturday's contest having not allowed two home runs in a start since May 28, and he's now lost his last two decisions (spanning three starts).

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• Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Bullpen spoils solid outing

  Rotowire Aug 13, 2023

  Cole did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks over six innings against the Marlins. He struck out six. Cole did his part in earning a quality start and leaving with a five-run lead, but the bullpen imploded in the ninth, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Cole remains a strong candidate to win his first Cy Young with 10 wins, a 2.76 ERA that ranks second among qualified starters in the American League, and a 1.05 WHIP. A minor concern to track is a slightly regressed 9.6 K:9 and 4.0 K:BB that represent his lowest marks since his last season in Pittsburgh back in 2017. The reliable Cole is lined up to face the rival Red Sox next weekend in the Bronx.

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