Cole was originally dealing with elbow soreness and sought out a second opinion on his elbow during spring training.
Now the Yankees are without their ace for the upcoming season.
Cole went 8-5 in 17 starts last season for the Yankees with a 3.41 ERA (earned run average) after missing time with elbow and calf injuries.
But the two-time ERA title winner was stellar for the Yanks during their postseason run in 2024, throwing a near-perfect 0.71 ERA after giving up just one run in 12.2 innings.
A year prior in 2023, Cole won his very first Cy Young award in his fourth season with the Yankees, throwing an American League-best 2.63 ERA in 209 innings.
His 15-4 (.789 winning percentage) and 7.4 WAR were the top-ranked among American League pitchers in 2023.