Yankees' Gerrit Cole Out for 2025 Season Following Tommy John Surgery

The $324 million ace's injury raises questions about long-term contracts and his decision to forgo free agency in 2024.

Gerrit Cole, the Yankees' star pitcher, will miss the entire 2025 MLB season after undergoing Tommy John surgery for an elbow injury discovered during spring training.
The Yankees will recoup $27 million of Cole's $36 million salary for 2025 through insurance, lessening the financial impact of his absence.
Cole's decision to opt back into his Yankees contract in late 2024, rather than test free agency, has led to speculation that he may have been aware of his elbow issues at the time.
Critics have reignited debates over the risks of long-term contracts for MLB pitchers, as Cole is in the fifth year of his nine-year, $324 million deal signed in 2020.
Fans and analysts are divided on whether the Yankees should have handled Cole's situation differently, with some defending the team's investment and others questioning its long-term strategy.