Bold opening: The Yankees are counting on a high-stakes comeback, but the timeline remains firmly tethered to medical reality. And this is the part most people miss: a late spring return would still mean a careful path back to form.
New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole may throw in Grapefruit League games before spring training ends, the latest sign that his recovery from Tommy John surgery is progressing. Yet the club and Cole remain aligned on a return window of 14 to 18 months from the surgery last March, keeping his target return somewhere between June and October. Yankees officials have consistently conveyed they expect him back in June.
After his first bullpen session since pitchers and catchers arrived for camp, Cole unveiled a slightly updated windup. Instead of keeping his hands near his chest, he now raises them overhead as part of a modification he began refining last summer. He described the bullpen work as a solid, well-executed step and noted he likes the rhythm of the new delivery, acknowledging he has tinkered with mechanics before.
Manager Aaron Boone broached the possibility of Cole, along with Carlos Rodón, making exhibition appearances this spring. Rodón is also recovering from elbow surgery, so the Yankees will proceed with caution. Boone emphasized that the priority is to avoid rushing Cole back to the mound simply because he’s looking good early on, especially given that he didn’t pitch at all in 2025 after undergoing surgery and dealing with an elbow issue in 2024.
Cole hasn’t appeared in a game since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series vs. the Dodgers. That season, he started June 19 and logged 124 innings across 22 starts before missing the entirety of 2025, during which New York went 94–? and were swept by Toronto in the ALDS without him.
When healthy and participating, Cole’s addition would bolster a rebuilt rotation. He is a six-time All-Star and a Cy Young winner with a career ERA of 3.18. Still, history shows that players returning from Tommy John surgery often take longer to regain peak form, sometimes needing a full year to rediscover their previous level.
“I’m a confident guy,” Cole said. “I have high internal expectations for my execution. I don’t set hard numbers or goals publicly; I focus on day-to-day progress and the task at hand.”
Even with Cole sidelined, the Yankees project a rotation built around Rodón, and a trio of other hoped-for contributors once fully healthy. The current group also includes Max Fried, Cam Schlitter, Will Warren, Ryan Weathers, and Luis Gil. Schlitter reported back soreness this week, which Boone labeled as minor, while noting the overall depth provides coverage as reinforcements arrive.
Cole’s return, whenever it happens, should provide a meaningful lift to a rotation that has been adjusting to life after major elbow surgery. He sounded optimistic about his readiness, saying, “It feels really good. It feels different than it has in quite some time.”
Would you rather see Cole ease back into the season with extended spring work or jump straight into early regular-season action if he’s truly cleared? Share your take in the comments.
