TAMPA, Fla. -- Given the circumstances, Gerrit Cole's trip to the West Coast has yielded the best possible news for him and the Yankees.

The ace right-hander does not require Tommy John surgery and can treat his ailing right elbow conservatively, with the hope of returning to the rotation in 10-12 weeks, a source confirmed to MLB.com¡¯s Mark Feinsand.

Cole was examined on Thursday by noted sports orthopedist Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who agreed with the club¡¯s findings that Cole¡¯s ulnar collateral ligament appears to be intact.

If a program of rest and rehab is successful, the belief is that Cole could be back on the mound for big league action in late May or sometime in June. The Yankees have not provided an official timetable for Cole, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner.

Cole underwent an MRI exam, CT scan and X-rays on Monday and Tuesday in Tampa after relaying that he has had difficulty bouncing back between outings. He likened his level of fatigue to what he usually would feel after throwing 100 pitches during the regular season.

The injury will snap a string of four consecutive Opening Day starts for Cole, who signed a nine-year, $324 million contract before the 2020 season.

Since joining the Yankees, Cole has been remarkably healthy, dealing only with a left hamstring strain and a stint on the COVID-19 injured list in 2021. His last time on the injured list for a right elbow issue was in 2016, when Cole was with the Pirates.

¡°Gerrit has been the cornerstone of durability for a starting pitcher,¡± Yankees left-hander Carlos Rod¨®n said.

Cole made only one Grapefruit League start this spring, on March 1 against the Blue Jays. He opted to pitch under simulated conditions on the afternoon of March 7 rather than face the Tigers in an evening contest, and he tossed only 47 pitches that day.

It remains to be seen who will draw the Opening Day start in place of Cole.

Rod¨®n will pitch the season¡¯s second game on March 29 and Marcus Stroman told the club that he would prefer to remain on his current schedule, slotting him for the third game on March 30. The remaining in-house options include Nestor Cortes, Clarke Schmidt or a potential bullpen game.