MLB News Today: Yankees suffer Gerrit Cole scare; Dodgers confirm debut dates for Glasnow & Yamamoto; Darryl Strawberry recovering from heart attack
MLB Opening Day is fast approaching and team rosters have now started to take shape. Star free agents Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery are yet to ink a deal with any team but that could all change very soon.
External factors like injuries could prompt some teams to amp up their pursuit of those two names. The Yankees, who have been mentioned in the rumor mill for both Snell and Montgomery but haven’t gone all in for either of them, could re-evaluate their stance after their latest setback concerning Gerrit Cole.
In today’s news roundup, here's a look at Gerrit Cole’s current injury status, the official MLB debut dates for both Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Dodger blue and more.
MLB News Roundup
#3. Gerrit Cole set to undergo MRI on right elbow
Reigning American League Cy Young winner and the crown jewel of the Yankees’ rotation, Gerrit Cole will require an MRI on his right elbow. Yankees manager Aaron Boone has now confirmed the same.
Cole has been struggling with recovery between throwing sessions, with the MRI results expected to shed more clarity on why that has been the case. This is a major cause for concern for the Yankees, who haven’t made any significant additions to their pitching staff this winter besides the signing of Marcus Stroman.
The Yankees have been linked to both Snell and Montgomery at various points this offseason, and the latest Cole update is only going to fuel more speculation on that front.
#2. Dodgers confirm MLB debut dates for Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto
The Dodgers have drawn the lion's share of attention this offseason, thanks to their spending spree that stretched well beyond a billion dollars. Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto arrived in LA as part of the Dodgers’ bid to significantly bolster their rotation.
The club has now confirmed the official MLB debut dates for their two prized starters. Glasnow has been named the Dodgers’ Opening Day starter, when they take on the San Diego Padres in Seoul on March 20. Yamamoto will start Game 2 of the series.
#1. Darryl Strawberry recovering from heart attack
In some rather concerning news, MLB legend Darryl Strawberry announced that he recently suffered a heart attack. Thankfully, the 62-year-old is recovering well and took to Instagram to announce the same.
Strawberry wrote that he was treated by the medical staff at St. Joseph West in Lake St. Louis, Missouri, where they used a stent procedure to help him recover.