New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole took a major stride toward returning to the mound, making 20 throws off flat ground Monday at Yankee Stadium as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery.
Cole begins throwing again in road to recovery
“It felt really good today,” Cole said before the Yankees opened their series against the Minnesota Twins. “I was fairly accurate and had a good time.”
The 34-year-old right-hander underwent surgery five months ago, receiving an internal brace in his right elbow from Dodgers head physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache. The expected recovery timeline is around 14 months. Cole has spent recent weeks building toward this stage, with mound work still months away. After completing his flat-ground program, he plans for a standard offseason routine.
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Yankees manager Aaron Boone called the milestone “one of those cool markers along the way” and credited Cole for his consistent rehab work.
Cole, signed to a $324 million deal through 2028, has a career record of 153-80 with a 3.18 ERA. He logged 1,954 innings over 12 seasons, plus more than 130 innings in the postseason. The internal brace procedure was intended to stabilize the ligament while promoting a quicker recovery.
Last season, Cole didn’t debut until June 19 due to nerve irritation and swelling in his elbow but went 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts, adding a 1-0 record with a 2.17 ERA in five postseason outings. He was shut down this spring after allowing two home runs in a March 6 game against Minnesota, which led to further testing and eventually surgery.
Now, with his first throwing session complete, the Yankees and their ace can focus on the next phase, getting back on the mound.
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