Gerrit Cole Is Throwing Strikes Again and the Yankees Are Getting Their Ace Back
The Yankees' biggest question mark is starting to look like the answer they've been waiting for. Gerrit Cole took the mound Thursday night for his second straight minor league rehab start and looked sharp doing it, throwing 4 and a third innings for the Class A Hudson Valley Renegades against the Brooklyn Cyclones. Two runs, five hits, four strikeouts, zero walks. The 35-year-old right-hander threw 42 of his 52 pitches for strikes, and Hudson Valley cruised to a 10-2 win with Cole in the game.
The Road Back Is Actually Working
Cole's been grinding through this comeback since reconstructive elbow surgery on March 11 of last year sidelined him for the entire 2025 season. His last time he actually pitched in a game that mattered? Game 5 of the 2024 World Series back on October 30. That's a long time to be away. But these back-to-back rehab starts suggest the Yankees' ace is tracking the right way. In his first outing last Friday, Cole gave up three runs over 4 and a third innings against Double-A Somerset, throwing 44 pitches while striking out three and walking one. Thursday was cleaner. The only damage came from a Corey Collins homer in the fourth and a Diego Mosquera sacrifice fly in the fifth after a Yohairo Cuevas double.
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Cole's rehab schedule is moving along, which means the Yankees are getting closer to having their ace back in pinstripes where he belongs. Meanwhile, Carlos Rodón, the 33-year-old lefty recovering from surgery to remove loose bodies and shave a bone spur in his left elbow back on October 15, is scheduled to make his own first rehab start Friday against Brooklyn. Rodón got slowed down this spring by a tight right hamstring, so he's also working his way back carefully.
The Yankees beat Boston 4-2 Thursday night to sweep the Red Sox and extend their winning streak to six games. Cole's return isn't imminent, but these rehab starts tell you everything: the best version of this rotation is coming. New York just needs him back healthy.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.