Cole (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment at Double-A Somerset on Friday, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Cole has built up to three innings (42 pitches) while pitching in sim games, and he's now been given the green light to begin playing in minor-league games. Because he's on the 15-day IL, the 35-year-old righty will be eligible to return at any moment, but the Yankees will presumably look to slowly build him up over the course of several rehab outings while he finishes up his recovery from Tommy John surgery.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Could be close to rehab assignment
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Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that Cole (elbow) threw three simulated innings and 42 pitches in a live session against High-A Hudson Valley hitters Sunday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Cole was able to make a couple of appearances late in the Grapefruit League and has continued to build up his pitch volume in simulated games through the first two weeks of the regular season. The Yankees could soon be ready to open the 30-day window on a minor-league rehab assignment for Cole, with Boone noting that a decision on the right-hander's next step will be made within the next few days. Because Cole opened the season on the 15-day injured list rather than the 60-day IL, he'll be eligible to return at any time, though he's unlikely to be activated until at least the second or third week of May.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Facing hitters Sunday
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Cole (elbow) will face hitters at High-A Hudson Valley on Sunday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
It could be the final step for Cole before he's cleared to begin a rehab assignment, though the Yankees have yet to confirm as much. Making his way back from Tommy John surgery, Cole made a couple Grapefruit League appearances, but he will still require several rehab starts before rejoining the Yankees' rotation. The former Cy Young winner is expected to make his season debut sometime in May.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Throws live BP on Wednesday
Rotowire
Cole (elbow) tossed one simulated inning of live batting practice Wednesday, per MLB.com.
Cole is nearing the final stage of his recovery from Tommy John surgery and seems to be progressing smoothly. He got into a couple Grapefruit League games, completing 2.2 innings, and is expected to kick off a minor-league rehab stint within the next few weeks. If all goes well, Cole could rejoin the Yankees' rotation before the end of May.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Slated for live BP
Rotowire
Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters Monday that Cole (elbow) will toss a one-inning live batting practice in "a couple of days," Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Cole continues to progress in his recovery from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in March of 2025. He tossed 2.2 innings in Grapefruit League action before opening the season on the 15-day IL, and the hope is that the veteran right-hander will return to the Yankees' rotation by the end of May. Cole will need to embark on a rehab assignment before making his return to the majors.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Move to IL made official
Rotowire
The Yankees placed Cole (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Wednesday.
Cole got into a couple games this spring, allowing one run with a 3:0 K:BB over 2.2 innings. The veteran right-hander continues to check all the boxes as he works his way back from March 2025 Tommy John surgery with an internal brace, and the Yankees anticipate Cole being ready to rejoin their rotation by the end of May.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Scoreless frame in spring debut
Rotowire
Cole (elbow) allowed two hits in one scoreless inning against Boston in a Grapefruit League game Wednesday. He did not walk or strike out any batters.
Cole pitched in a game for the first time since he underwent Tommy John surgery with an internal brace last March. While he allowed two singles (one came on a bunt), he faced just four batters due to a caught-stealing. Cole threw 10 pitches and topped out at 98.7 mph on his fastball, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Though it was a short outing, this was a significant step for the 2023 AL Cy Young winner in his quest to rejoin the Yankees' rotation. He's expected to continue to gradually ramp up, with late May a reasonable expectation for his regular-season debut.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Spring debut coming Wednesday
Rotowire
Cole (elbow) will start Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox and pitch one inning, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
The right-hander will be making his first appearance in a game since undergoing Tommy John surgery with an internal brace last March. It's an encouraging development for Cole, who is likely to open the season on the 60-day injured list but could return when he's first eligible in in late May.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Could make spring debut next week
Rotowire
Cole (elbow) said following a 35-pitch live batting practice session Thursday that he and the Yankees "will likely" have a conversation about his next throwing session coming in a Grapefruit League game, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.
Cole's next outing will come in six days, but it has yet to be decided whether it will be in an official spring training game or a different capacity. The right-hander's rehab from Tommy John surgery with an internal brace has gone well, but if the Yankees put Cole on the 60-day injured list -- which still seems likely -- he will not be eligible to make his season debut until late May.
Cole (elbow) threw a bullpen at spring training Tuesday, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.
Cole, of course, is recovering from a Tommy John procedure that involved internal bracing last March, and he's been throwing since August. However, he recently progressed to mound work, and Cole's rehab appears to be on track. Manager Aaron Boone said last week that Cole could pitch in some Grapefruit League games before the end of camp, though Cole isn't expected to make his regular-season debut until sometime in late May or early June.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Could pitch in spring games
Rotowire
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that Cole (elbow) could pitch in some Grapefruit League games before the end of camp, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.
Cole missed the entirety of the 2025 season following Tommy John with internal bracing surgery last March. He's been throwing since August and will progress to live batting practice session in a couple weeks, with game action a possibility later in March. However, while Cole's rehab has gone as well as could be expected, the Yankees don't expect him to rejoin their rotation until late May or early June.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: No issues in rehab
Rotowire
General manager Brian Cashman said Wednesday that Cole hasn't experienced any setbacks during the offseason while rehabbing his surgically repaired elbow, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Cole sat out the entire 2025 campaign after undergoing a Tommy John procedure that included internal bracing in March. He began his throwing program in August but has already been ruled out for Opening Day by manager Aaron Boone. Cashman added that the plan is for Cole to report to the Yankees' facility in Florida soon, and if all goes well, the veteran righty may return to a big-league mound sometime in late May or early June.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Season debut in late May/early June
Rotowire
The Yankees expect Cole (elbow) to rejoin their rotation in late May or early June, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
The team has said previously only that they did not expect Cole to be ready for Opening Day, and now it appears he could be held out for as much as the first two months of the season. Cole -- who had had Tommy John surgery with internal bracing in March -- has been throwing on flat ground but has yet to progress to mound work.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Won't be ready for Opening Day
Rotowire
Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed Thursday that Cole (elbow) will not be ready for the start of the 2026 season, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.
Cole had Tommy John surgery with internal bracing in March, so the expectation has been that he will begin the 2026 season on the injured list. The hope is that his absence will be brief, but a clearer picture of his timeline will be available at a later date. Cole has begun throwing on flat ground but has yet to progress to mound work.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Making 45 flat-ground throws
Rotowire
Cole (elbow) is scheduled to make 45 throws from 75 feet Wednesday as he continues his rehab from Tommy John surgery, Jack Curry of YES Network reports.
Cole began a throwing program in August and said Wednesday that he "feels great" as he moves along in the rehab process. The veteran right-hander had Tommy John surgery with internal bracing in March and has an outside shot of being ready Opening Day next season, though a stay on the injured list at the start of the 2026 campaign appears likelier.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Begins throwing program
Rotowire
Cole (elbow) began his throwing program Monday by tossing around 20 pitches on flat ground, Meredith Marakovits of YES Network reports.
The right-hander has begun what will be a months-long ramp-up period as he works his way back from UCL reconstructive surgery on his right elbow, which he underwent in March. Though Cole's surgery involved the insertion of an internal brace that will hopefully accelerate his timeline to return to game action, the right-hander admitted back in May that he anticipated a 14-month recovery. As such, Cole is unlikely to be ready to go for Opening Day in 2026, but the Yankees aren't completely ruling him out from being available for the start of the season if his rehab goes more smoothly than expected.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Could resume throwing soon
Rotowire
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Friday that Cole (elbow) could be close to throwing, Peter Sblendorio of the New York Daily News reports. "I think it's soon," Boone said, "but I don't have an announcement."
Cole also stated Friday that he is scheduled to begin throwing this month and even said he has a tentative date in mind, though he didn't share what that date is. The veteran hurler underwent Tommy John surgery with internal bracing in mid-March and isn't going to pitch in games this season, though if he is indeed able to resume throwing in the relatively near future, it would increase optimism about his ability to be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign. At this point, however, it's up in the air whether Cole will have progressed enough by Opening Day 2026 to be on the mound for the Yankees.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Hopes to start throwing in August
Rotowire
Cole (elbow) said that he plans to begin a throwing program in August, Pete Caldera of The Bergen Record reports.
Cole spoke to the media Monday for the first time since March, when he underwent UCL reconstructive surgery on his right elbow. The procedure included an internal brace, which he had removed two and a half weeks ago, per Jorge Castillo of ESPN.com. The 34-year-old will resume throwing six months post-surgery, but it's not clear if he'll be able to advance to mound work by the time the 2025 season concludes. Cole acknowledged that he doesn't yet have a target date in mind for when he might be ready to pitch next season, and a timeline for his 2026 debut may not come into focus until next spring.
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Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Placed on 60-day IL
Rotowire
The Yankees placed Cole (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Saturday.
Cole will miss all of 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, so the Yankees will stash him away on the 60-day IL to free up a roster spot for Carlos Carrasco, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Cole's (elbow) season-ending Tommy John surgery included internal bracing, which could speed up his recovery time, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
Cole underwent the operation Tuesday and is still certain to miss the entire 2025 season. However, the internal bracing procedure could allow him to return closer to the short end of the 12-to-18-month recovery timeline typically given to Tommy John patients. The Yankees still haven't announced how they plan to replace Cole and Luis Gil (lat) in their Opening Day rotation, though Marcus Stroman and Will Warren are the likely candidates to make the cut if no outside help is brought in.
