Yankees Rumors: Blake Snell Pursuit Not 'Reignited' Amid Gerrit Cole Injury

The New York Yankees have not "reignited" their pursuit of starter Blake Snell in free agency despite Gerrit Cole's right elbow injury, according to SNY's Andy Martino.

Cole was originally scheduled to pitch on Tuesday, although he underwent an MRI on his elbow instead. The exam is considered "precautionary," with the team still waiting for the results.

Martino previously noted that the Yankees pursued Snell in the winter and offered him a contract in January, although they pulled their offer once it was rejected.

New York was still active in free agency, signing right-hander Marcus Stroman to a two-year contract worth $37 million on Jan. 11. It appears that the front office is either content with the depth of the current pitching staff in the wake of Cole's injury or they don't believe that the issue is overly serious.

When speaking to reporters on Monday, manager Aaron Boone revealed that the 33-year-old was dealing with recovery issues which prompted the MRI.

"He described it as his recovery before getting to his next start has been more akin to what he feels during the season when he's making 100 pitches," Boone said, per Martino. "When he's throwing 45 and 55, he usually doesn't have the recovery issues he's having."

"It's just been more of a challenge and more taxing, so we're going to get an MRI just to see what we're dealing with there," he added.

Snell has remained unsigned heading into spring training despite a stellar 2023 campaign, posting a 2.25 ERA in 32 starts while finishing with a record of 14-9. His contract demands have played a part in his extended free agency, as he reportedly wanted a deal worth over $200 million in January.

With Opening Day getting closer, Snell will likely settle for a contract that's lower than his initial asking price. It doesn't appear that the Yankees are interested in his services anymore, though.