Gerrit Cole Reaches ‘Big Milestone’ in First Rehab Start Since 2024 World Series

New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole took the mound for the first time in an official game since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, making a rehab start as he works his way back from a lengthy injury absence. The 2023 American League Cy Young Award winner showed expected rust but completed what he described as a significant step in his recovery timeline, though he is not projected to rejoin the Yankees rotation until late May or early June.

Cole’s rehab outing represents the most significant on-field progress he has made since being shut down with elbow discomfort. The Yankees’ rotation has leaned heavily on Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, and other arms during his absence, making Cole’s return a pivotal storyline for a club that reached the World Series last October before falling to the Dodgers in five games. While the velocity and command were not vintage Cole, club officials have emphasized that the goal of early rehab starts is to build up pitch counts and test the surgically repaired or strained areas under competitive conditions rather than to produce dominant lines.

The stakes for both Cole and the Yankees are considerable. Since signing his record-setting free-agent deal prior to the 2020 season, Cole has served as the rotation’s anchor, posting a career ERA hovering in the low-3.00s with elite strikeout numbers. He finished as Cy Young runner-up multiple times before claiming the award outright in 2023 with a 2.63 ERA over 209 innings. Extended absences by pitchers of his caliber have historically reshaped division races, and the American League East is again expected to be among the most competitive divisions in baseball, with the Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, and Boston Red Sox all positioned as contenders.

Cole is expected to make several additional minor league rehab appearances, gradually increasing his pitch count and incorporating his full arsenal — including his four-seam fastball, slider, curveball, and changeup — before the Yankees clear him for a big-league return. Fans and the organization alike will be watching closely for signs that his velocity, which has historically sat in the upper 90s, recovers to form, as well as the sharpness of his secondary pitches.