The New York Yankees are in a dogfight. As of mid-August, the team’s record stands at 63-56, placing them third in the AL East and outside of a playoff spot. While their offense leads the league in home runs, pitching has been a significant weakness, posting a 4.06 ERA that ranks 17th in MLB. This inconsistency has sparked concern among fans about a summer slide that could end their postseason aspirations. This inconsistency has fans worried about a potential “summer slide” right out of the postseason picture. The team desperately needs an anchor.
Injuries have wrecked the rest of the Yankees’ rotation. While Max Fried has been brilliant (12-5, 2.94 ERA) and Carlos Rodón has been a dependable strikeout leader (159 Ks), the rest of the staff has faltered. Clarke Schmidt is out for the season with Tommy John surgery, 2024 Rookie of the Year Luis Gil has struggled since returning from injury, and Marcus Stroman has been inconsistent. With the playoff possibilities on the line, a crucial update on Gerrit Cole, who is already out for the season, arrived on Monday.
Cole went out to the field to do some throwdowns. A simple action for some, but for him, it was a giant step forward. After going through 20 throws on flat ground, the Yankees ace met with the reporters. He was very much at ease and happy with how things went. “It felt really good today,” he said with a smile. “Uh, it was fairly accurate and um, had a good time.”
This was the first and most important step on his long road back. When asked about its importance, Cole did not downplay the moment. “Yeah, it’s a, you know, it’s a big one. First day of throwing,” he said. “Um, been building up to it for a few weeks, so it’s nice to get outside and get it accomplished and have it go well.”
Every journey starts somewhere. For Cole, this marked the beginning of his return to the mound. The sight of him throwing was a hopeful vision for the franchise. “Excited for him. He’s done a good job with the rehab,” Manager Aaron Boone said. “And this is one of those cool markers along the way that is significant to hit.”
Cole emphasized that he is not rushing anything. He intends to follow the program that has been laid out for him. “The progression should, this initial progression should take at least a few months,” he noted. “So, um, we’re right at the beginning of it and there’s no rush.” From there, he hopes to be throwing off a mound a few times before the end of the year.
Following that, the objective is to simulate a normal winter. “Once we do that a few times, that’ll be when we kind of shut it down and move into the offseason phase,” he said. Most of this work will be from his home in California. Modern technology permits him to maintain daily contact with the team. “I can upload my throwing program to the… platform. So, uh, we pretty much talk every day.”
The average recovery period with this surgery is 14 months. This schedule aims for a return for Cole around the middle of May 2026. This data-oriented approach is key given the severity of his injury. But how did Cole get here in the first place?
The injury that ended the season
It all began on March 6th after allowing a pair of home runs in a spring game against Minnesota. Cole was not able to raise his arm the next day. It wasn’t rocket science for the team to realize that the situation was serious. Just five days later, on March 11th, he underwent Tommy John surgery. The procedure was done by noted surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
Losing a pitcher like Cole is a blow to any team. At 34, the right-hander has an outstanding record of 153-80, which includes a 3.18 ERA. He has pitched in 317 starts and thrown nearly 2,000 regular-season innings. Also, he has logged 133 ⅓ innings in 22 postseason starts. That kind of experience is irreplaceable.
Cole’s story is not unique, but the outcomes for pitchers of his age with this kind of injury are often not the same. He has ghosts of the past to look to for both hope and caution. Justin Verlander serves as the ultimate inspiration, having undergone the same surgery at 37 only to return and win a Cy Young Award at 39. Conversely, Jacob deGrom’s high-velocity approach led to a second Tommy John surgery, while Stephen Strasburg’s career ended tragically due to a post-surgery physical breakdown.
Which path will Gerrit Cole follow? Let us know in the comments below!
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