Red Sox Bitter Rival Facing Massive Hurdle to Ace in Spring Training

Aug 20, 2023; Bronx, New York, USA;  Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) looks at the defensive alignment in the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Aug 20, 2023; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) looks at the defensive alignment in the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox are gearing up for what should be a challenging season in the American League East. The division has been one of the toughest in baseball over recent years, and the Red Sox know it all too well, finishing in last place in three of the past five seasons.

Boston has spent its winter trying to keep up in the arms race, adding Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler, and Alex Bregman in blockbuster moves. However, their biggest competition will be the New York Yankees, who won the division and marched all the way to the World Series.

The Yankees and Red Sox will always be intertwined when it comes to who wins the division. But some troubling injury news to New York’s ace may open the door for Boston to climb back to the top this season.

Yankees Ace Gerrit Cole to Undergo Tests on His Throwing Elbow

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports that Gerrit Cole underwent diagnostic tests on his throwing elbow on Friday. The tests come after Cole allowed six earned runs in Thursday’s 8-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins, and Morosi reports his status should become clearer in the coming days.

Losing Cole would be a massive hurdle for the Yankees to overcome. Cole has been at the top of the rotation since signing a nine-year, $324 million contract before the 2020 season and has gone 59-28 with a 3.12 ERA in five seasons. The right-hander has also been a workhorse, topping 180 innings in three straight seasons from 2021 to 2023, including a league-leading 209 innings in 2023.

But Cole was shut down during last year’s spring training due to elbow soreness and missed the first 75 games last season. The 34-year-old returned to post an 8-5 record and 3.41 ERA in 17 starts last season, but his mileage is a concern as the Yankees examine the extent of the latest injury.

It’s a reminder of how important pitching is to the American League East. The Red Sox lost Lucas Giolito for the 2024 season after he felt discomfort in his elbow during Spring Training and are already dealing with two key injuries this year as Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford are uncertain for Opening Day.

The Red Sox seem more prepared for their injuries, however, as the Yankees currently have a starting rotation of Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Marcus Stroman, Clarke Schmidt, and Will Warren.

New York will probably find a way to overcome this latest hurdle but it’s another chapter in a rivalry that should be one of the best in the American League next season.

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