With Spring Training about to come to a close and Opening Day around the corner, Yankee fans here at Cortland are nervous based on the number of injuries and recent blows to the roster for the 2025 season. The current injured list is as follows:
DH Giancarlo Stanton
Injury: Torn tendons in both elbows
Expected Return: April
RHP Gerrit Cole
Injury: Right elbow ligament tear
Expected Return: 2026
LHP Tyler Matzek
Injury: Right oblique strain
Expected Return: April
RHP Luis Gil
Injury: Right lat strain
Expected Return: June
INF DJ LeMahieu
Injury: Left calf strain
Expected Return: April
RHP Clayton Beeter
Injury: Right shoulder discomfort
Expected Return: March
RHP Jonathan Loaisiga
Injury: Right UCL surgery recovery
Expected Return: April/May
RHP Jake Cousins
Injury: Right forearm strain
Expected Return: April
RHP Clarke Schmidt
Injury: Stiff back
Expected Return: Spring Training
RHP JT Brubaker
Injury: Fractured ribs
Expected Return: NA
RHP Scott Effross
Injury: Left hamstring strain
Expected Return: NA
As a Yankee fan myself it was very questionable going into the upcoming season knowing whether or not the roster that was put together to bounce back from the loss of Juan Soto could make it back to the Fall Classic. Now that the injured list has reached a whopping twelve players it feels the battle back to the top has astronomically grown. The straw that broke the camel’s back is the most recent news with RHP Gerrit Cole having to undergo Tommy John surgery and learning his expected return is Summer 2026. Last year when Gerrit Cole was out for a good chunk of the beginning of the season returning in mid June, rookie sensation RHP Luis Gil filled that gap with a 2.03 ERA until Cole’s return. The thing that changes things this year is that Gil is also on the injured list with a right lat strain not expecting to return until June just as Cole did. Junior Dylan McAdam here at Cortland states, “This is the most I’ve stressed before even getting to watch the first Opening Day game. The rotation is in shambles and the bullpen isn’t far behind with a few guys being out there too, most notably Jonathan Loaisiga. I thought the little brother Mets were going to have a worse rotation going into the season but with how Clay Holmes looks this spring and all of our injuries I guess we’re going to fall short again. Frustrating.”
RHP rookie Will Warren is the one Yankee fans are relying on at this moment, from last year with Gil they need another breakout rookie to turn things around and help out with keeping the team afloat while the twelve man injured list heals up. Warren, being a rookie, only played in six games last season posting a disappointing 10.32 ERA over 22.2 innings pitched with 29 strikeouts and 10 walks. This Spring Warren has bounced back putting up serious numbers with a 3-0 record, 1.54 ERA over 11.2 innings pitched. McAdam added, “From getting lit up every time he stepped out on the bump last season, he has really turned it around and looks to be who us Yankee fans are going to look to to really have hope. He looks legit so far.”
Despite the potential breakout season of rookie RHP Will Warren, the 2025 season seems to be an uphill climb to stay competitive in the AL East. The Yankees have been resilient with these types of seasons before so Yankee fans here at Cortland and around the country can still have that to grasp onto for hope. But with Opening Day approaching it will be interesting to see whether or not this roster can keep it together and make a push into the postseason for their 28th championship.