Gerrit Cole made his return to the Yankees at Fenway Park in Boston over the weekend, after being out all season with nerve irritation in his right arm. Following his third rehab outing on Friday, Cole told reporters that he “feels really good.” He tossed 70 pitches in 4.1 innings and struck out 10 hitters. However, there is still no official return date for the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner.
Manager Aaron Boone stated that they would discuss the next steps for Cole over the next few days. It is possible that Cole could be activated from the injured list before the upcoming homestand against the Baltimore Orioles, potentially lining him up to pitch as early as Tuesday. Cole mentioned that he had not considered this possibility and does not expect to be back up to 100 pitches right away.
Cole acknowledged that there is still a ways to go before he can fully return to his regular pitching routine. Despite his progress, the Yankees are taking a cautious approach to ensure that Cole is fully ready to pitch at his best. Stay tuned for updates on when Cole will officially rejoin the Yankees and take the mound once again.