New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole last pitched for the Yankees in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, but he’ll make his long-awaited return in Friday night’s series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays.
He had Tommy John surgery after blowing his elbow out in spring training last year and has been rehabbing ever since. While he’s spent some time ramping up at the Triple-A level, Cole said he’s excited to be back on the mound for the Yankees.
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I’m most looking forward to just competing at the highest stage,” Cole told the New York Daily News. “We have a first-place club coming in. They have the best record in the American League. Divisional opponent. So pretty high stakes for a Friday night in May.”
In 29 innings pitched during his rehab starts, he recorded 28 strikeouts and just three walks. After over 500 days of recovery, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the team feels like Cole is ready to go.
“We were going to play the long game with this, but in just like all the talks with the trainers, pitching group, Gerrit, his support group and all that, we just felt like he has done everything he needs to be ready to compete now at this level.”
It may be unrealistic to expect Cole to come out at a Cy Young level on the mound, but the Yankees will need him to be a difference-maker as soon as possible.
His debut on Friday will be against the Rays, who are the only team above the Yankees in the National League. While Tampa Bay has been thriving, New York is beginning to slip.
The Yankees are just 4-9 in their last 13 games and now sit at 30-21 on the season, four and a half games back from Tampa Bay.
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
