When New York Yankees starter Gerrit Cole missed the 2025 season because of Tommy John Surgery, there had been questions about how he would recover for 2026. As his injury recovery continues, there are reports that Cole is having great bullpen sessions, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network.

“There was a vintage Gerrit Cole moment during his 35-pitch live BP session. After a coach barked ‘up' and called Cole's first pitch a ball, Cole stopped and asked the catcher, ‘Did you have that up? Because that was on the plate.' Cole, ever the intense competitor,” Curry wrote on X.

Cole went 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA over 17 appearances in his last real baseball action in 2024. Prior to that, he went 15-4 with a 2;63 ERA in 33 starts in 2023. Cole's health is a major question for the Yankees as they prepare for the 2026 season and look to overtake the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East.

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Cole made progress a few weeks ago when he faced hitters for the first time in over a year. Along with Clarke Schmidt and Carlos Rodon, Cole is among the Yankees starters dealing with injuries. While Cole may not be ready for Opening Day, he is making progress in rampant activity.

For the Yankees to be contenders this season, they need good starting pitching. Although Max Fried will start the season as the ace of the rotation, they will need Cole to be healthy and be the starting pitcher. With his competitive fire returning, that could signal a good sign in his recovery, as he continues to work his way back and become a focal point for the Yankees.