New York Yankees ace right-hander Gerrit Cole took a step forward on Saturday morning in his recovery from elbow nerve inflammation and edema. Cole threw 15 pitches off the mound for the first time since being shut down in March. Although he wasn't throwing at max effort, he averaged around 89 mph on his fastball, according to what he told Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.
Cole's next step will hinge on how his arm and body react over the coming days to Saturday's throwing session.
Cole, 33, is the reigning American League Cy Young Award recipient. Over the last three seasons, he's amassed a 3.11 ERA (134 ERA+) and a 5.19 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 96 starts. His contributions have been worth an estimated 15.7 Wins Above Replacement during that time, or more than five per year, per Baseball Reference's calculations.
Cole will be eligible to return from the injured list in late May. The Yankees have resisted the temptation to put a timetable on his recovery. Given that Cole has missed nearly two full months, it's reasonable to think that there's still a fair amount of fairway between now and his eventual return. Still, it's a positive development for him and the Yankees that he was able to progress on Saturday.
The Yankees entered Saturday's game against the Detroit Tigers with a 21-13 record on the season, putting them a game back of the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East. Despite Cole's absence, the Yankees rotation has been a strength. All five starters entered the weekend with ERA+ of at least 101. (The league-average mark for starting pitchers tends to fall around 93.) The Yankees, in turn, ranked ninth in rotation ERA.
