Gerrit Cole pitches scoreless inning in first spring training appearance since Tommy John surgery
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Gerrit Cole returned to a mound to pitch in a game after a 377-day absence and threw a scoreless first inning Wednesday for the New York Yankees in an exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox. Cole threw 10 pitches, seven for strikes, including six four-seam fastballs that averaged 97.
1 mph, ranging from 98. 7 mph 96. 1 mph.
He threw two sliders and a pair of knuckle-curves. His first pitch, a 96. 6 mph fastball to Braiden Ward, was bunted to the right side for a single as Cole slid toward the base trying to field it.
Ward stole second, held as Kristian Campbell flied out and was caught stealing third by catcher Austin Wells. Jason Delay lined a 1-2 fastball into left for a single, and Nathan Hickey grounded out on a first-pitch knuckle-curve. Pitching with a slight beard — the Yankees relaxed their facial hair policy last year — Cole showed his altered windup, in which he puts his hands over his head.
A 35-year-old right-hander, Cole had Tommy John surgery on March 11 last year with Los Angeles Dodgers team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache. His last official outing was in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series that Oct.