Gerrit Cole made an impressive return to the mound, delivering a scoreless first inning in his spring training debut for the New York Yankees against the Boston Red Sox after a 377-day absence.
The veteran right-hander threw 10 pitches—seven for strikes—featuring a fastball that averaged 97.1 mph and topped out at 98.7 mph. He also mixed in sliders and knuckle-curves as he worked through the inning efficiently despite allowing two singles.
Cole’s outing marked his first game appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in March last year. His last official start came in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone indicated that Cole is expected to make his regular-season debut around late May or early June as he continues his recovery.
The six-time All-Star is coming off a shortened 2024 season, where he posted an 8-5 record with a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts. With a career record of 153-80 and a 3.18 ERA, Cole remains a key figure in the Yankees’ rotation as he works his way back to full fitness.
