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Gerrit Cole is yet fresh for his New York Yankees return since having Tommy John surgery.
Cole will make his 2026 play debut connected Friday against nan Tampa Bay Rays - his first commencement for nan Yankees since 2024.
Cole, 35, missed nan entirety of nan 2025 run aft undergoing room to repair a tear successful his correct UCL.
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Gerrit Cole pitches for nan Hudson Valley Renegades during Thursday’s crippled versus nan Brooklyn Cyclones connected April 23, 2026. (Patrick Oehler/Poughkeepsie Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
The Yankees’ starting pitching unit has been a stellar group to commencement nan 2026 campaign, but Cole’s return comes astatine a cleanable clip arsenic chap ace Max Fried successful connected nan injured reserve pinch an elbow wounded of his own. He is expected to miss astir 1 month.
Manager Aaron Boone, who announced nan move for Cole connected Tuesday earlier nan team’s crippled against nan Toronto Blue Jays, said connected Monday that nan Yankees were considering sticking pinch nan original scheme of having Cole make a seventh and last rehab commencement earlier his play debut pinch nan team.
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"We’ll see," he said anterior to nan Yankees winning its bid opener against nan Blue Jays. ‘We’re benignant of talking astir that present today, tomorrow, and we’ll make a telephone 1 measurement aliases another."
The penning appeared to beryllium connected nan wall, though, arsenic nan Yankees optioned Elmer Rodriguez, who started successful spot of Fried against nan New York Mets complete nan weekend, backmost down to Triple-A. They called up reliever Yovanny Cruz alternatively of getting different starter successful nan clubhouse.
Gerrit Cole of nan New York Yankees stands for nan nationalist anthem during a crippled against nan Los Angeles Angels astatine Yankee Stadium successful New York connected April 16, 2026. (New York Yankees/Getty Images)
Cole hasn’t sounded for nan Yankees since Game 4 of nan 2024 World Series, making this rather nan comeback for nan franchise’s ace. However, nan Yankees person seen immoderate ace-like pitching elsewhere since then, including an unexpected spot this season.
Cam Schlitter, nan 6-foot-6 flamethrower, is successful nan early moving for American League Cy Young Award winner. He presently leads nan convention successful ERA (1.35) crossed his 10 outings, six of which being deemed value starts. He has 68 strikeouts to 11 walks crossed 60 full innings, cementing himself arsenic nan ace connected nan unit correct now.
Schlittler’s large infinitesimal came for nan Yankees successful Game 3 of their Wild Card bid against nan Boston Red Sox this past postseason, but he’s followed that up by showing it wasn’t a one-and-done moment. Instead, he’s been nan Yankees astir accordant starter successful a group filled pinch elite talent for illustration Fried, Carlos Rodon and now Cole.
Now, Cole hasn’t had nan champion numbers successful his rehab starts, owning a 5.28 ERA crossed 29 innings successful six outings. However, his metrics person checked nan boxes, including a fastball that topped retired astatine 99.6 mph this past Saturday successful what was his champion rehab outing. He allowed conscionable 1 tally connected six hits.
Gerrit Cole #45 of nan New York Yankees warms up anterior to a crippled against nan Boston Red Sox astatine George M. Steinbrenner Field connected March 18, 2026 successful Tampa, Florida. The Yankees hit nan Red Sox, 1-0. (Photo by Leah King/Diamond Images via Getty Images) (Leah King/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
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"He looks really good," Boone added. "I deliberation this [latest] outing was a small much pinch astir apt title successful mind, for illustration going to get guys retired and stepping connected it worldly wise."
Cole won nan AL Cy Young successful 2023 and has been nan Yankees’ ace since signing pinch nan franchise successful 2019 connected a nine-year, $324 cardinal contract.
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Scott Thompson is simply a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
