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WDHA Morning Jolt

WDHA Morning Jolt

WDHA Morning Jolt

Losing Gerrit Cole Poses Huge Potential Problem For the Yankees

Author Jim Monaghan

This can’t be good – Gerrit Cole on the Injured List before the regular season even starts.

The Yankees 2024 season hasn’t even started yet and already the warning signs of possible huge problems are RIGHT THERE IN FRONT YOU.

Chris Swendeman and I break things down this morning on the Two-Minute Drill.

 

Pitcher Gerrit Cole has been shut down for anywhere from one to two months with a problem in his right (throwing) elbow.

Outfielder Aaron Judge is out until at least this weekend with some kind of abdominal soreness.

Both players had MRI’s earlier this week, and while both came back with negative results, there is definite cause for concern.

One of the top players in the game, Judge’s at bats are Must-See TV. At any moment, he’s liable to launch a baseball into the stratosphere.

He’s also an above-average defensive fielder.

Losing him for any appreciable amount of time, as we have already seen a few times due to various injuries, takes the Yankee offense down a notch.

In Cole, the Yankees have arguably one of the top five starting pitchers in the game and the reigning American League Cy Young Award Winner. If he’s out for an extended period of time, it’s questionable whether Marcus Stroman and/or Carlos Rodon can pick up the slack.

Barring anything serious, Judge isn’t expected to miss a lot of time, and it is only March 15.

If Anthony Rizzo is back to his pre-concussion self, and Juan Soto performs as expected, the Yankees offense will still be dangerous. It just won’t be as deep as at would be with Judge.

On the other hand, Cole’s absence leaves a much bigger hole for the Yankees to fill. There are a few options to choose from.

Trevor Bauer

Bauer is talented. He’s available. Yes, he brings a lot of baggage (subscription required) with him. No, Cole doesn’t like him.

Still, he might be a good option to at least take a flyer on.

Blake Snell

The National League Cy Young Award Winner in 2023, it is ludicrous that he is – as of now – still unsigned. The Yankees stand to take a BIG luxury tax hit if they sign him, but do they really have a choice?

Jordan Montgomery

The Yankees already know what he’s like. Montgomery might be able to give them some innings, but he isn’t the type of pitcher who can replace a #1 starter like Cole.

MORE EPISODES OF WDHA’S TWO-MINUTE DRILL WITH JIM MONAGHAN AND CHRIS SWENDEMAN

MLB Power Rankings: Top Teams to Start 2024

Spring is coming, and that means baseball is on the way. So, why not get into some early MLB Power Rankings?

If you weren’t happy with how last season ended, then you’re in luck. That’s because you have a million new games up ahead in the 2024 season. Okay, maybe not a million. But, a lot. The Major League Baseball season schedule packs a whopping 162 games for each of the 30 teams in the American League (AL) and National League (NL). Those games take place over about six months. That means baseball fans, in theory, could watch 2,430 games in the regular season alone.

Don’t do that. You have more of a life than to sit around watching 2,430 baseball games. But, I should talk. During football season, I watch all the games I can get my eyes on.

Let’s not leave out the minor leagues, by the way. It’s always really fun to go to a minor league baseball game, because it’s much more chill than a major league game. It’s also cheaper, both tickets and parking. So, don’t just support your major league team this year. Cheer for the minor league guys, too. You won’t have quite as many games to catch in the minor league, though, as a full, regular season in Triple-A is 150 games, Double-A is 138 games and High-A and Single-A are 132 games. Still, that’s lots and lots of baseball to attend.

With the official start of baseball season getting closer, it’s a good time to get into my initial Power Rankings for 2024. Sure, this is a bit premature, since players will shift going into the season. But, the biggest players are with their respective teams now, so we have a good picture and idea of which teams will pop in 2024. Frankly, deciding between No. 1 and 2 was very difficult, because both teams are so, so solid right now. Who are your picks for the 2024 season? Reach out to me here and let me know, and find the full MLB schedule here.

MLB Power Rankings: Top Teams to Begin 2024

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Author Jim Monaghan
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