Yankees News: Gerrit Cole Gives Honest Verdict on His Form Upon Returning

New York Yankees gun outfielder Gerrit Cole is still recovering from an injury and hoping for an MLB return. In his first rehab in Double-A, Gerrit Cole starred in the 3.1 innings. He pitched for the Somerset Patriots. Wearing his bellowed No.45 of the A-Somerset, he started his second rehab session on Sunday. In front of the New Jersey crowd, the Yankees ace player showed his potential after suffering from a right elbow ailment that made him miss games for the 2024 season. 

The 33-year-old pitcher allowed two hits, struck out four, and strolled against Hartford Yard Goats. Also, speaking with the reporters post-match, Cole said, ”I definitely did get stronger as the game went on. I thought the pitch count landed in a great spot. My fastball was not very good early. I was missing in bad places. That definitely progressed to where we executed the last, like seven or eight of them, in a row.”

Regarding the curveball, he replied, “The curveball was really sharp. The changeup was really great. The cutter was really great. he slider, to my eyes it looked OK, but it was coming off the bat hot to the middle of field and it didn’t seem like it was fooling anybody.”

Cole smashed 44 out of 57 pitches on strikes over 4 ⅔ innings, followed by a fiery 96 mph ball, making a crowd of 7,385  at the TD Bank Ballpark stand to praise him. He retired 14 out of 17 Hartford Yard Goat Hitters, snatching the game away from them. As per the scorecard, Gerrit Cole’s fastball speeds were impressive, too. In his last innings, all his balls were at 94 and 95 mph speeds. 

Sitting on an injured list due to elbow inflammation, he said, “Overall, I checked a lot of the boxes, but I still have things to work on”. Regarding Cole’s comeback, earlier this week, manager Aaron Boone said, “Cole will make at least a few more Minor league appearances before he’s brought back to the active roster to make his debut.”

New York Yankees perspective & Gerrit Cole’s return 

At present, almost all the Yankees fans are waiting for Cole’s return. His departure from the team compelled management to change their plan and look for alternatives. As management reconstructed their rooster without Cole, they focused on making the team with their bench strength.

Carlos Rodon, Nester Cortes, and Marcus Stroman were the prominent names. Additionally, young pitcher Luis Gil was given a chance that left Yankees fans worried about the team’s pitching department. However, despite Gerrit Cole’s injury, the Yankees have played solid and won many games. Their 8-game winning streak was riding high until the Dodgers entered, and the Yankees lost some close games. 

Despite losing a couple of matches, the New York Yankees won against the Dodgers by 6-4 in the finale. Thanks to Trent Grisham’s and Aaron Judge’s heroics. As it stands now, the Yankees have the second-best record in MLB. Regarding Gerrit Cole’s return, in his first two rehab sessions, he’s sending positive signals for his comeback. Eventually, a few more minor league games and Cole will again play for the Yankees, pitching to the fullest potential, pleasing the passionate team’s fans.