On Monday, the New York Yankees received the skin-crawling confirmation that Gerrit Cole will miss the entire season due to Tommy John surgery. The team will need to rely further on their bullpen if additional starters are not an option.
The 2023 Cy Young Award winner started two World Series games last season. Cole was a freight train for the Yankees and the face of the rotation.
The Yankees ace was experiencing pain in his right elbow in his last spring training outing. After seeing one specialist, Tommy John surgery was recommended, but so was a second opinion.
As feared, the second opinion confirmed that surgery was needed. This puts Cole on the sidelines until next season. This minimizes the rotation options to four, as Luis Gil is also sidelined until June.
At this point of the year, turning a reliever into a starter or hybrid pitcher may be the most efficient and feasible fix. When it comes to Cole’s first scheduled start, a bullpen day may be the best showcase to audition for the role. Which bullpen options are the most suitable for the Yankees?
Yankees Bullpen Option #1 to Fill in for Cole: Will Warren
Without a doubt, Yankees prospect Will Warren will be the first bullpen option out of the gate. Warren is ranked No.5 among the Yankees’ Top 30 prospects. He is protected on the 40-man roster and made his MLB debut last season.
Why is he the best option? Warren is the most starter-like arm out of the bullpen, and he’s actually projected and developed as a starter. The 2021 eighth-round draft pick has thrown over 100 innings total per season over the last three seasons.
He is able to work deeper into games, and his stamina gives him the longevity to last between five to six solid innings per outing. In 2022, Warren recorded 129 total innings, followed by a repeat of 129 in 2023, 109 2/3 in 2024, and an additional 22 2/3 in the major leagues.
Warren’s repertoire speaks for itself, with an average of a 50-55 grade scale measurement, along with a 65-scale slider. The right-hander has showcased some phenomenal attributes and outings, putting himself as the top candidate to take on the fifth starter role.
Option 2: Clayton Beeter
Beeter is another possible option to fill in as a starter. However, his chances are a lot more slim due to his lesser experience and caliber. Plus, before Cole’s injury, the Yankees made it known that they view him more as a reliever, although that could change now. His youth and his pitch profile would place him in front of many bullpen arms in the pecking order for the starter role.
Beeter is also protected on the 40-man roster and will compete for a spot on the active Opening Day roster. Like Clay Holmes, Beeter could be given a shot as a starter, and possibly succeed and find a niche.
Based on statistics, his innings of work and depth offerings project him as a short or long reliever. Between the years of 2019 and 2024, he’s only surpassed 80 innings pitched in one season. In 2023, he threw 131 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A.
Where Beeter does fit in is in a combined bullpen effort and/or an immediate reliever role, following the exit of Cole’s replacement in an outing. The young right-hander may be one to consider, despite the lack of MLB experience.
