The New York Yankees have taken an early lead in the American League East during the 2025 season, but to stay on top, they’ll need contributions from everyone on the roster. One player they were hopeful to get back soon was veteran reliever Jake Cousins. Unfortunately, that hope has been put on hold due to a setback in his recovery.
Cousins has yet to pitch this season, and while the Yankees have managed to fill the gap so far, they’d prefer to have his arm available. He had been progressing well in his return from a previous injury, but now a new issue has emerged, delaying his comeback.
Cousins made his MLB debut with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2021 and was an important part of their bullpen. However, his role diminished over the next two seasons, appearing in only 21 games combined in 2022 and 2023 after pitching in 30 games in his rookie year. He eventually joined the Yankees and became a reliable bullpen option during their World Series run.
In 37 appearances for New York, Cousins posted an impressive 2.37 ERA with 53 strikeouts and a save. However, he faltered in the postseason, giving up five earned runs in six outings—struggles that proved costly under playoff pressure, though they weren’t the deciding factor against the powerhouse Dodgers.
Despite that rough postseason stretch, the Yankees maintained confidence in Cousins. However, after being placed on the 60-day injured list on March 27 with a right elbow flexor strain, his comeback hit a snag with a newly developed pectoral injury. As a result, he’s been temporarily shut down.
According to Yankees manager Aaron Boone, per Bryan Hoch on X, “RHP Jake Cousins has been shut down for 4–5 days of no throwing after experiencing pec discomfort following a live BP session.” The team remains hopeful he can resume his recovery by the middle of next week.
