Gerrit Cole stood on the bullpen mound at Steinbrenner Field on Friday, surrounded by the most important people in the New York Yankees organization. Manager Aaron Boone watched from behind.
Pitching coach Matt Blake stood close by. Legendary guest instructor Ron Guidry took it all in. And when Cole’s fastball started popping Austin Wells’ mitt in the mid-90s, touching 96 mph, nobody seemed to remember they were watching a man 11 months removed from Tommy John surgery.
The sound told the story before the radar gun confirmed it.
Cole’s Modified Delivery Draws Rave Reviews
Cole threw approximately 30 pitches across two simulated innings, featuring his entire arsenal and a new wrinkle that caught everyone’s attention. He’s now bringing his hands over his head during his windup, a departure from the chest-level starting position he’d used throughout his career.
Wells, who made sure he was behind the plate after seeing Cole’s name on the schedule, put it simply after catching every pitch.
“He looked like a Cy Young pitcher,” Wells told reporters. “He looked smooth and in control. Looked confident in his ability.”
Boone reached for a different comparison.
“When I think of Gerrit and his greatness, a lot of it ties to his delivery,” Boone said. “Everything looks like it’s coming out free and easy. I liken it to a diver that dives off the high board and just goes in the water, making no splash. That’s Gerrit.”
Cole underwent surgery on March 11, 2025, performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, after his elbow finally gave out following a spring training start against Minnesota.
He’d pitched through discomfort in 2024, made 17 regular-season starts after returning in June, then gutted through five postseason starts that ended with a brutal fifth inning against the Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series. The reconstructed elbow includes an internal brace designed to provide additional stability during the first year of rehab.
The feeling now? Different.
“It feels really good,” Cole said. “It feels different than it has been in quite some time.”
Cole acknowledged the long road. Over 2,000 innings logged across his career took their toll on the original hardware in his right arm. The surgery was the logical endpoint of what he’d been managing for years.
What Cole’s Return Means for the Yankees’ Title Chase
The Yankees went 94-68 without their ace in 2025. They won eight straight to close the regular season, captured a Wild Card spot, and defeated the Boston Red Sox in a thrilling best-of-three Wild Card Series that featured Cam Schlittler’s dominant eight scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts in Game 3. Then Toronto happened.
The Blue Jays outscored New York, 23-8, in the first two games of the ALDS, and despite Aaron Judge’s heroics in Game 3, the Yankees fell in four games. Their championship drought extended to 16 seasons.
Cole’s return timeline remains 14 to 18 months from surgery, putting his potential debut between late May and September. Yankees officials have consistently targeted June. Boone confirmed the team won’t rush him, prioritizing October readiness over early regular-season starts.
“We want to make sure we give him the proper time to make sure he is good and ready to come back, built up in a smart way,” Boone said.
Cole will face live hitters in the coming weeks. If that continues to go well, Grapefruit League game action before camp breaks is possible. He said he isn’t setting performance benchmarks or statistical goals for his return.
“I’m just doing exactly what I’ve been told,” Cole said. “When I’m told to push, I push. When I’m told not to, I don’t.”
Cole is a six-time All-Star with a 3.18 career ERA and 2,251 strikeouts across 12 seasons. He won the American League Cy Young Award in 2023, posting a 2.63 ERA with 222 strikeouts. The 35-year-old remains the anchor of a rotation that will open 2026 with Max Fried, Schlittler, Will Warren, Ryan Weathers, and Luis Gil.
Getting Cole back at full strength for September and October changes the calculus for a franchise that believes this roster is built to win now. Friday’s bullpen session was one step, a small one in the grand scheme, but the fastball velocity, the command, and the confidence in his surgically repaired elbow were real.
Cole even sported a beard on the mound, a new look made possible by the relaxed facial hair policy the Yankees implemented last year. Some things change. The stuff, apparently, does not.