The Yankees’ World Series hopes took a significant hit before Opening Day even arrived. After losing Juan Soto to the crosstown Mets, they responded with a flurry of moves – adding Max Fried, Devin Williams, Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt to bolster their championship aspirations.
Now they’re facing an even bigger challenge: injuries to key players that could derail their season before it begins.
Giancarlo Stanton and Luis Gil are sidelined, but it’s Gerrit Cole’s situation that’s most concerning. The Yankees’ ace might miss the entire 2025 season, leaving a massive hole at the top of their rotation that internal options simply can’t fill.
If Cole’s injury is as serious as feared, the Yankees will likely look to the trade market for a frontline starter. Sandy Alcántara of the Marlins stands out as an obvious target. The former Cy Young winner has looked sharp this spring after returning from Tommy John surgery, showing flashes of his dominant 2022 form.
What makes Alcántara particularly attractive is his contract. He’s owed just $17.3 million in both 2025 and 2026, with a $21 million club option for 2027. That’s exceptional value for an ace in today’s market.
But there’s a catch.
“The Marlins could certainly ask the Yankees for Jasson Domínguez and a top-five prospect, especially knowing the club is leveraged,” writes The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner.
That’s a steep price for a Yankees organization that’s already thin on prospect capital. Domínguez, after his impressive brief MLB debut, is expected to be part of the Opening Day roster. Trading him would solve one problem while creating another.
“Given the state of the Yankees’ farm system, it would be surprising if they were able to land a top-flight pitcher like (Dylan) Cease or Alcántara unless they were willing to deplete their prospect capital even further than they have in recent years,” Kirschner adds.
The Yankees find themselves in a difficult position. They’ve built a win-now roster with significant financial commitments. Without Cole anchoring the rotation, their championship window could slam shut before it fully opens.
They might have no choice but to pay the premium price for an ace, whether it’s Alcántara or someone else. The alternative – hoping their current pitching depth can somehow compensate for losing one of baseball’s best starters – doesn’t seem viable for a team with World Series expectations.
The coming days will be crucial as they await final word on Cole’s prognosis and weigh their increasingly limited options.
