Undecided Yanks Await: Cole’s ‘Great’ Return Sparks Excitement

BOSTON — Gerrit Cole is making progress in his recovery and could soon rejoin the New York Yankees rotation. The team, however, is playing it safe and has not yet committed to his return.

Cole, who won the AL Cy Young Award in 2023, has been on a minor league rehab assignment and is now close to returning to the big leagues. In his latest outing for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he struck out 10 batters over 4⅓ innings, giving up only two hits and one unearned run.

“I’m feeling great today,” Cole said on Saturday, a day after his impressive performance. “Last night was a good night for me.”

The Journey Back to the Mound

The 33-year-old right-hander has been working his way back to full strength since his last start on March 1, when he was diagnosed with nerve inflammation and edema and advised to take a break. He began throwing bullpens on May 4 and finally made his first rehab start on June 4.

In his three minor league rehab outings, Cole has racked up an impressive 19 strikeouts and no walks. He started with 45 pitches in his first outing, then increased to 57 in the second, both with Double-A Somerset. He has now thrown 70 pitches in his latest start, bringing him closer to his usual workload in the big leagues.

Close, But Not Quite Ready

Although it seems like Cole is on his way back to the Yankees rotation, the team is taking a cautious approach and will evaluate his progress before making a decision. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, “We’ll just look at these next couple of days and decide if it’s another rehab start or just bringing him [to the team]. Obviously, he’s going to have a huge say in that, especially if it’s another rehab start.”

Cole himself acknowledges that he may not be ready to go all-out in his next start, saying, “I don’t anticipate coming back with 100 pitches, so there’s still some work to do. But the closer I get, the more excited I am.”

The Wait for that Call-Up

While Cole and the Yankees are both eager to see him back on the mound, he knows that his performance in the minors doesn’t necessarily guarantee success in the majors. When asked if he believes he’s ready to face big league hitters, Cole responded, “I certainly feel like I had a pretty good shot last night, for sure. But you just never really know until you know.”

The team will also take time to study Cole’s performance, looking at the data before making a final decision. However, if it’s up to the pitcher himself, he’s more than ready to make his big league return.

Final Thoughts from Kosport Magazine

The excitement is building for Cole’s return to the Yankees rotation, and it seems like it’s only a matter of time before he’s back in pinstripes. However, the team is taking a cautious approach and will make a decision based on his overall progress and readiness. For now, we’ll eagerly await the next update from the team and Cole himself. Fingers crossed for a speedy return to the mound for the AL Cy Young winner.