"Can't replace Cole": Yankees captain Aaron Judge opens up about Gerrit Cole's drastic impact on roster's depth ahead of 2025 regular season

Yankees star Aaron Judge analyzed the impact of Gerrit Cole’s absence on the roster’s depth as the starting pitcher will miss the 2025 season due to injury. He expressed an optimistic stance and highlighted that the younger teammates have the enormous responsibility of stepping up and filling injured Cole’s shoes. Gerrit Cole gave a stellar performance on returning from IL last season.

Yankees captain Aaron Judge opened up about the impact of Gerrit Cole’s absence in the team’s line-up as they face the challenge of entering the 2025 regular season with key players on the bench due to injury. Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil suffered injuries during the Spring Training, and they are likely to stay away from the action for the early half of the season. Analyzing the impact on the roster’s depth, Judge, while speaking to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, said:
“You can’t replace a Cole. You can’t replace a Luis Gil. But I think we’ve got some young guys who are going to step up. We’ve still got a good ballclub here.”

However, Judge was not entirely disappointed and was optimistic about the team’s balanced composition. Reflecting on the opportunities that have been created for the younger lot of the team due to dynamics emerging from key players’ injuries, he said:
“I really think it’s a great opportunity for some of the young guys to step up. You can’t be a young guy forever.”
Furthermore, Judge added, “When you add guys like Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger to the mix, and you throw in someone like Max Fried, you’re looking at a solid core.”
Yankees experienced a blow during Spring Training when Gerrit Cole’s and Luis Gil’s injuries led the team to a crisis. According to the latest reports, Gerrit Cole will miss the 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery, which will require him to rest and rehabilitate. Also, Lui Gil will be shut down for about three months. He is expected to join the team back in June.

Gerrit Cole was a crucial factor in the Yankees’ performance in 2024. He made 17 starts and struck out 99 hitters with a 3.41 ERA despite missing the first half of the season due to his inclusion on the IL. His pitching expertise helped the team restrict the opponent's batting average to a .220/.290/.358 slash line.

The Yankees’ no. 45 allowed 36ERs off 95.0 innings pitched and delivered a slash line of .314/.379/.693 with 11 HRs.
Nerve inflammation and elbow edema troubled Cole in 2024, forcing him to start his season in mid-June instead of March. He made up for his absence with a notable performance, setting an excellent example for others.
Also Read: “He’s a tough guy”: Yankees’ captain Aaron Judge reacts to teammate Gerrit Cole’s health update