Spring training for the New York Yankees has been a disaster, with injuries sidelining key players such as postseason hero Giancarlo Stanton, 2024 Rookie of the Year Luis Gil, third baseman D.J.
LeMahieu, top pitching prospect Chase Hampton, and more. But on Monday, the team received even worse news. After Gerrit Cole, the 2023 Cy Young winner, revealed he was experiencing “alarming” discomfort in his pitching elbow following a spring training game last Thursday, the Yankees announced that Cole will require Tommy John surgery, effectively ending his 2025 season.
This injury, coming after Cole was limited to just 17 starts last year due to elbow issues, represents a major setback for the Yankees’ hopes of defending their American League title and pursuing their 28th World Series championship.
It’s unclear whether general manager Brian Cashman will make a trade to fill Cole’s spot in the rotation. Two potential targets from the Padres’ rotation, Dylan Cease – a durable starter with at least 32 starts in each of the past four seasons – and former Yankee Michael King, have been mentioned as trade possibilities. However, according to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, the Padres appear to be committed to keeping their rotation intact despite having considered trading both pitchers. On the other hand, Yankees beat writer Chris Kirschner has pointed to 32-year-old Erick Fedde of the St. Louis Cardinals as a potential target.
Kirschner notes that acquiring Fedde would come at a lower cost, allowing the Yankees to keep their top prospects. Fedde is in the second year of a two-year, $15 million contract with the Chicago White Sox but was traded to the Cardinals last season as part of a three-team deal. He’s owed $7.5 million for 2025.
A former first-round pick by the Washington Nationals in 2014, Fedde struggled with the Nationals, posting an ERA over 5.00 in three of his five seasons there. However, after spending time with the NC Dinos in the Korean Baseball Organization in 2023, where he won 20 games with a 2.00 ERA, Fedde returned to MLB in 2024 and posted a career-best 3.32 ERA in 31 starts with the White Sox and Cardinals.
With promising metrics, Fedde could be an asset that Yankees pitching coaches could help further develop. The Yankees could acquire Fedde for a top-10 prospect and either a reliever or a top-20 prospect. With the Cardinals focused on a rebuild, Fedde may be available for a reasonable price.
