Gerrit Cole provided a massive update after missing last season with a Tommy John elbow injury. The New York Yankees had some reps and then spoke to the media with full transparency on how his rehab is going.
While other pitchers also broke silence on their injuries, Cole spoke at length. He said his elbow feels “really good. It feels different than it has been in quite some time.” This is massive news for the Yankees, who missed him a lot during the last MLB season.
When asked about his rehab, Cole said, “I just kind of am doing exactly what I’ve been told. When I’m told to push I push, when I’m told not to, I don’t. I really haven’t deviated hardly at all from our targets.” Cole has been very disciplined throughout the recovery process.
Cole spoke on possible new antics as well
During his pitching session, Cole was seen putting his hands over his head during his windup. He was asked if he would do that in-season, and Cole gave a four-word, crystal clear answer too. The Yankees ace said, “Yeah. It feels good.”
Cole was up to 96 MPH in his session this morning, which is just incredible. According to Bryan Hoch of MLB Network, Cole said, he may pitch in a spring game, but his timeline hasn’t changed from the start. This means he could be returning, at best, in May.
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Cole is eager to come back stronger than ever
When asked about what he’s learned from this layoff, Cole said, “It’s kind of reaffirmed some of my core values, how I go about my work. The work during this rehab process is different than what I typically would be doing when healthy. Yet, I’ve attacked the process the same way as I attack the regular work. That has produced good results, so it just gives me confidence that I go about my business the right way.“ Cole is very dedicated to his craft.
The pitcher also misses the not-so-nice parts of being a pitcher in the MLB. “I just miss playing. I miss that outlet of working hard and feeling exhausted every five days.“ The love that Cole has for baseball is just huge. At 35-years-old, Cole knows there’s not much time left, so he wants to enjoy every part of the game.
