In a major setback for the New York Yankees, it has been reported that their star pitcher, Gerrit Cole, is expected to miss a significant portion of the regular season due to a right elbow injury. The injury does not appear to involve a tear in Cole's ulnar collateral ligament, according to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman's report on Tuesday.

In light of this news, Cole is set to travel to Los Angeles for an in-person consultation with renowned sports orthopedist Dr. Neal ElAttrache, as confirmed by a source to MLB.com. The Yankees organization, however, has yet to officially confirm these details.

Last year's unanimous winner of the American League (AL) Cy Young Award, Cole underwent an MRI examination on Monday after experiencing difficulty recovering between outings. The fatigue he was experiencing was similar to what he would typically feel after throwing 100 pitches during the regular season.

Further testing was conducted on Tuesday, prompting Yankees manager Aaron Boone to acknowledge that Cole will not be able to start on Opening Day as originally anticipated. This will break Cole's streak of four consecutive Opening Day starts. Cole, who signed a record-breaking nine-year, $324 million contract ahead of the 2020 season, is an integral part of the Yankees' rotation.

The club has stated that it may take several days before they provide a definitive prognosis for Cole's injury. Multiple opinions from doctors and the team's medical staff are being sought to ensure the best decision is made regarding his recovery. Addressing the uncertainty, Boone emphasized the importance of being patient and thorough when dealing with any elbow-related concern.

During the Grapefruit League, Cole was only able to make one start on March 1 against the Toronto Blue Jays. On March 7, instead of facing the Detroit Tigers as scheduled, he opted to pitch in simulated conditions. Fellow Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes expressed that while pitchers often face challenges during Spring Training, the seriousness of Cole's injury was only recently revealed.

With Cole's absence, the Yankees will need to explore alternative options for their season opener on March 28 against the Houston Astros in Houston. Possible candidates to take the mound include Marcus Stroman or Carlos Rodón.

The loss of Cole for potentially a month of the regular season is undoubtedly a blow to the Yankees' aspirations. However, the team remains optimistic and confident in their ability to navigate through this challenging period as they await further updates on the pitcher's condition.