New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole made a triumphant return to the mound on Friday night, pitching six shutout innings against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium.
It was his first Major League Baseball start in 569 days following elbow reconstruction surgery.
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The 35-year-old right-hander allowed two hits and three walks while striking out two batters. He threw 50 of his 72 pitches for strikes.
Cole averaged 96.1 mph with his four-seam fastball, reaching a peak velocity of 98.6 mph during the first inning.
He also debuted a new overhead hand movement in his windup.
The six-time All-Star and 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner had not pitched in a regular-season game since Game 5 of the World Series on October 30, 2024.
He underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2025 after suffering a tear in his right ulnar collateral ligament during spring training.
Mindset and Recovery
Before his return, Cole discussed his mindset during a minor league rehab assignment. He emphasized the importance of throwing strikes and maintaining consistency across his pitches.
“A lot of strikes — that’s good,” Cole said. He noted that his arsenal felt balanced during his progression back to the majors.
“Consistency out of all the offerings, which was nice,” he added.
Cole expressed particular satisfaction with his changeup. “I was pleased with the changeup.
The shape and location was pretty good … probably the best it’s been [so far],” he said.
