Gerrit Cole’s minor league rehab assignment seems to be progressing well as he made his second start for Double-A Somerset. The New York Yankees pitcher threw 57 pitches in his Sunday outing, lasting 4 2/3 innings and allowing one run on two hits with four strikeouts. Cole threw 44 strikes and showed a velocity range between 92 and 96 mph. The lone run against him came from a home run in the first inning by Ryan Ritter, the Rockies’ No. 12 prospect.
Cole is expected to make at least one more rehab start before potentially rejoining the Yankees. If he follows the normal rotation schedule, his next start would be on Friday, but it is uncertain whether it will be with the Double-A or Triple-A team. Manager Aaron Boone has mentioned the possibility of Cole not being fully stretched out to 100 pitches when he returns to the team and may need a couple more starts to reach that mark.
If everything goes as planned, Cole could return to the Yankees during their home series with the Baltimore Orioles from June 18-20. The Yankees currently lead the AL in starting rotation ERA at 2.82, and Cole’s return would provide a significant boost to the team.