Ace Returns After 569 Days
For the first time in 569 days, Gerrit Cole was on the mound for the New York Yankees on Friday, and it was like he never left. Cole was masterful in his return from Tommy John surgery, holding the AL-best Tampa Bay Rays scoreless across six innings.
He allowed two singles and three walks, struck out a pair, and threw an economical 72 pitches.
Manager's Reaction
"We're all really excited to get our ace back," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said prior to Friday's game. "He's ready to perform at a high level. Get outs at a high rate."
Inning-by-Inning Details
Cole got into trouble right away Friday, allowing a single to Chandler Simpson and a walk to Junior Caminero to begin the game. A fly out, a pickoff, and a strikeout later, the first inning was over.
That started a stretch in which Cole retired 12 of 13 batters, including a seven-pitch third inning and a four-pitch fourth inning.
Pitch Count Management
Although he got up to 86 pitches in his final Triple-A rehab start, the Yankees kept Cole on a tight leash in his first MLB start, and pulled him after six innings and 72 pitches.
Figure Cole will get up to 80 pitches in his next start, then 90, then a full 100. The Yankees don't want to push him too much, too soon following a grueling 14-month rehab.
Rotation Depth Context
New York's starting pitchers entered Friday with the fifth-best ERA (3.22) and the best WAR (6.6) in baseball, even without Cole throwing a pitch this season.
This is the club's rotation depth chart at the moment:
- LHP Max Fried (out with an elbow bone bruise)
- RHP Luis Gil (on Triple-A injured list with shoulder inflammation)
Cole essentially steps into Fried's rotation spot. The two have not yet been healthy at the same time with the Yankees. They hope that will happen in a few weeks when Fried returns.
Rodón returned from his own elbow surgery (bone spurs) earlier this month. This is the healthiest New York's big league rotation has been since about the middle of 2024.
Game Outcome
Friday was Cole's first MLB game since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series. His elbow gave out last spring training and he underwent Tommy John surgery soon thereafter.
Last weekend, Boone said the Yankees would have Cole make one more minor-league rehab start, but they changed plans and brought him back Friday instead.
Unfortunately, New York's bullpen blew a slim 1-0 lead and allowed four runs in the eighth, spoiling Cole's return. The Yankees dropped to 0-4 against the Rays this season.
Looking Back
In 2024, his last season before Tommy John surgery, Cole pitched to a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts after dealing with a nerve issue in his elbow that spring training.