The New York Yankees are preparing to begin the regular season without their ace.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters Tuesday in Florida that it "would be difficult" to picture Gerrit Cole making the Opening Day start as he deals with an unspecified elbow injury.

Cole, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, underwent an MRI on his right elbow Monday. Boone told reporters Cole will have more testing Tuesday. He said a prognosis is not imminent.