NY Yankees’ Gerrit Cole reveals how he felt after first rehab start following Tommy John surgery

Gerrit Cole took a meaningful step in his return to the New York Yankees on Friday night, making his first rehab start with Double-A Somerset at TD Bank Ballpark after more than 13 months recovering from Tommy John surgery. The Yankees ace continues his long build-up toward a projected return in late May or early June, as the club carefully manages his workload.

Cole showed both sharpness and rust across 4⅓ innings, allowing three runs on three hits, including a home run, while striking out three and walking one. He threw 44 pitches, 36 for strikes, in his first official game action since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series. “I have a lot of confidence, but tonight was probably not the exact same guy,” Cole said, according to The New York Post. “Hopefully, it’s on its way.”

After Aaron Boone outlined the return timeline, the 2023 AL Cy Young winner received a standing ovation from the minor league crowd, marking a significant moment in his recovery journey. While his fastball regularly reached the mid‑90s and his secondary pitches showed effectiveness, Cole acknowledged that consistency and command are still returning as he rebuilds his game rhythm.

Cole works through uneven outing while continuing rehab progression

Cole opened his outing with a nearly clean first inning, narrowly avoiding a home run before striking out Carson DeMartini. However, his second inning proved more challenging after a long delay between frames, when he allowed a walk, a double, and a two-run homer.

“That was really the only time the command was a little shaky,” Cole said. “The walk was a bad walk.” Despite the setback, he settled in later, including a four-pitch third inning and a quick fourth, showing signs of improved efficiency as his pitch count climbed.

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Yankees monitor rotation as Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón progress

Cole’s return comes as the Yankees also track the recovery of Carlos Rodón, who is working back from elbow surgery and recently experienced a minor setback. With both arms nearing the final stages of recovery, the Yankees are hopeful their rotation will soon regain two of its most important pieces heading deeper into the 2026 season.