How close to the old Gerrit Cole will we get this year?
The team’s ace will be the biggest X-factor of this season. How much can we dare to hope for the Gerrit Cole of days past?
Feb 13, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) throws a bullpen session during spring training practices at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Gerrit Cole completed a major milestone in his recovery from Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, pitching in his first live-action game and making his Grapefruit League debut.
He pitched a single inning, tossing 10 pitches in a breezy outing that saw him touch the high 90s in velocity on his fastball. With the team committed to running back most of the 2025 team that wound up winning 94 games but got bounced in the ALDS, the few new faces that will appear need to really count for them, and Cole’s is the biggest one. The team’s defacto ace since signing the then-largest contract for a pitcher in free agent history in 2019, Cole’s shown the team exactly why they need him out on the mound.
He’s been a perennial Cy Young candidate in pinstripes and won the award in 2023, anchored the staff in their run to the World Series in 2024, and provided a wealth of knowledge to the rest of the pitching staff. He was also sorely missed for a good portion of that 2024 season as he started on the IL, missed the entirety of last year to the aforementioned Tommy John, and likely pitched through an injury in 2021 that led to the team flaming out in the Wild Card. Health is always the predominant factor when it comes to pitchers, who carry more risk in their arms than any other ballplayer.
And the risk never fades away after the injury is over — some careers never return to the trajectory they were on as players are forced to adjust to prevent repeat injury, or simply lose some of the velocity they relied on when they return. Thus far Cole hasn’t displayed those concerns, and from quotes throughout spring looks unburdened and free to flash some of the vintage heaters he dominated the league with. But with the journey back to the mound still not complete, as Cole will likely still be sidelined from regular season action until late May or early June, what can the Yankees expect when they do finally slot him back into the rotation?