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Gerrit Cole of the Yankees
It was only a bullpen session at the opening of spring training, but when you’ve been waiting as long as Yankees ace Gerrit Cole has waited to be back on the mound and ready to pitch, there was some relief to it. Cole threw a complete bullpen session on Friday in Tampa as he readies himself to get back into game action in the coming months.
Or, maybe sooner. Though Cole is not expected to be pitching a full game for the Yankees until May or so, at the earliest, manager Aaron Boone surprised reporters this week by saying that Cole could be on the mound in spring training, at least in a short stint.
It has been nearly a year since Cole underwent Tommy John surgery to repair the UCL in his right elbow, a procedure that sidelined him for all of last season. Return to form from that surgery can take around 15 months, which is why there is some surprise at Cole’s speedy return.
As for getting on the mound in the spring, Cole said, “I am sure we will have discussions about that.”
Gerrit Cole: ‘It Felt Really Good’
Certainly, Friday’s session did not hurt the chances of the Yankees getting Cole back early. Catcher Austin Wells said of Cole’s form during the session, “He looked like a Cy Young pitcher. He looked smooth and in control. Looked confident in his ability.”
Cole echoed that he was pleased with the way the session went.
“It felt really good. It was a well-executed pen, overall. Pretty good. So, just another good day in the bag,” Cole said.
He said his arm is feeling as good as it has during the process, and that he has made all the steps he needs to at this point in recovery.
Cole said, “It feels different than it’s been in quite some time… I’m just 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 my targets.”
But, Cole conceded, too, that it has not been a fun process.
“It’s been long and tedious, like most people’s experiences,” he said. “As you get closer to the end, things start to gain a little momentum. Overall, the rehab process has been really good, in terms of executing and staying present from day to day.”
Yankees Keeping Hopes Up on Pitching Injuries
The Yankees are hoping to hold the fort down in the starting rotation once the early portion of the season gets going, as the team has two other injured starters–Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt–also on the shelf to open the year.
Rodon is expected to be the first one back after having had surgery after last season. He could appear on the mound this spring, and be in the rotation in late April or early May.
Schmidt will take longer, as he is recovering, too, from elbow surgery and probably won’t be on the mound again until after the All-Star break.
Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney
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