Gerrit Cole's 14-Month Tommy John Rehab Is Over, But The Yankees Have NO Answer For Their 4 Wins in 13 Games

Yo, Seattle! You hear about this happening back east? Gerrit Cole, the former Cy Young Award winner, is finally stepping back onto a major league mound for the New York Yankees on Friday! After what feels like forever, this dude is coming back from an absolutely brutal 14-month rehab from Tommy John surgery. It's a massive moment for him personally, but let me tell you, his team desperately needs him. We're talking about a Yankees squad that's completely limping, managing only four wins in their last 13 games, and they just got shut down for three hits in a 2-0 loss to Toronto on Thursday. This isn't just a comeback game, folks, it's a desperate plea for help.

The Long, Grinding Road Back to the Mound

Man, you gotta feel for Cole, right? He said himself, "It's been tough. I mean, I've missed it quite a bit." He talked about finding "some blessings along the way" with his family, spending time with his boys, but the drive to get back on the bump is clearly powerful. This is his first big league start since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, where he and the Yankees just absolutely blew a five-run lead in a disastrous fifth inning against the Dodgers. Five days after allowing two homers in a start early the next year, he was under the knife for reconstructive elbow surgery. His rehab assignment kicked off back on April 17, and he made six minor league outings for three different farm teams, posting a 4.66 ERA and giving up 28 hits in 29 innings, with 28 strikeouts and just three walks. He even tossed 86 pitches in 5 1/3 innings for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre recently. His manager, Aaron Boone, is "thrilled to get him back" and says Cole "crushed the rehab process," but let's be real, it's been a long time, and there's definitely gonna be some things he's got to "iron out."

Yankees Are Crashing, Rays Are Red-Hot

So, Cole returns to a team that's basically underwater, while he faces the first-place Tampa Bay Rays, who are absolutely on fire. Remember last month? The Rays swept the Yankees. And right now? Tampa Bay is 8-2 in their past 10 games, fresh off scoring 25 runs against Baltimore. These guys are feeling it. Yandy Diaz, their designated hitter, is a serious threat, going 14-for-44 (.318) with two homers against Cole in his career. Diaz has been a machine lately, 9-for-19 (.474) with three homers and nine RBIs in his past five games, even though he exited a game recently after getting hit on the fingers and didn't play Wednesday. Third baseman Junior Caminero is also tearing it up, hitting .444 (8-for-18) in his past five games. Tampa Bay starter Steven Matz nailed it when he said, "It just feels like every night, it's someone different, and it's so much fun." Nick Martinez, with a stellar 4-1 record and a 1.51 ERA, is on the mound for the Rays, and he held the Yankees to just one run over 4 2/3 innings back on April 11. This is not going to be an easy re-entry for Cole. So, what's gonna happen Friday? Cole's first major league start in forever, trying to turn around a Yankees team that looks totally lost. Against a Rays squad that just cannot lose right now, with guys like Diaz and Caminero absolutely raking. This ain't just another game, folks, it's a statement game for the Yankees and a chance for the Rays to keep that momentum rolling! Meanwhile, back here in the Emerald City, our M's just battled it out, taking down the White Sox 5-4! Always good to see a W for the green and blue!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.