Gerrit Cole’s long-awaited Yankees return could come as soon as Friday
Gerrit Cole’s return to the Yankees rotation from Tommy John surgery could be just days away.
Aaron Boone said Monday that Cole pitching Friday in The Bronx against the Rays was “on the table.”
It would be the right-hander’s first start for the Yankees since the 2024 postseason, since Cole was lost all of last year following elbow surgery in spring training.
Cole has made six minor league rehab starts, including his most recent for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Saturday, when he threw 84 pitches in 5 ¹/₃ innings, gave up just one run and hit 99 mph.
Boone said of that outing, Cole “looked really good” and that he pitched “with more competition in mind, going to get guys out, stepping on it, stuff-wise and finished really strong.”
Over the weekend, Boone indicated that rookie right-hander Elmer Rodríguez would likely make a fourth start for the Yankees, but the team optioned the 22-year-old to SWB on Monday.
That move, Boone said, was made because they needed an arm in the bullpen after a tough series against the Mets and they called up right-hander Yovanny Cruz, a hard-throwing reliever.
Without Rodríguez, though, they’ll need someone to pitch Friday and Cole would make sense if he’s ready.
Boone said the decision would involve the coaching and training staffs, as well as Cole and the front office.
“We just want to do the right thing,” Boone said. “What’s the right timing? Whatever we do, it’s with the long game in mind. A need [in the rotation] doesn’t necessarily mean we’re bringing him back. If we feel he’s absolutely ready to go and checked all the boxes, then we’ll make that call.’’
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An American League scout in attendance at Cole’s most recent start said, “He looked like Gerrit Cole. I’m not sure why he’d make another start there unless he wanted one and I doubt he does. Plus, they could use him.”
The Yankees have survived pretty well without their ace, winning 94 games last season and getting strong starting pitching for the most part early this year.
Their depth has been tested a bit with Max Fried on the IL with a bone bruise in his left elbow and they entered Monday having lost seven of their previous nine games.
Still, without Cole going every five days for the last year-plus, the Yankees have seen Cam Schlittler develop into a Cy Young candidate, Will Warren turn into a reliable starter and Ryan Weathers a solid option from the left side.
They also recently got Carlos Rodón back from his offseason elbow surgery and while the left-hander has gotten off to a rocky start to his year, the Yankees are confident he’ll soon return to form.
The next question is when — or how soon — will Cole get back to his ace level?
Cole won his first Cy Young Award in 2023 before elbow issues limited him for most of the first half of 2024.
His last appearance in a major league came was in the Yankees season-ending loss in Game 5 of the World Series that season, as he underwent UCL surgery the following March that knocked him out all of last year.
