New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole made his first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery in a spring training game on Wednesday. He only pitched one inning, but Cole was happy to be back on a big league mound in a game. Manager Aaron Boone joined the Yankees' broadcast during the team's spring training contest against the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday and provided an update on Cole following the pitcher's Wednesday outing, via YES Network.
“He's doing well,” Boone said. “With us having a split-squad today (the Yankees also played the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday), so some of our pitching group is over in Dunedin, some is here, he's charting pitches today like old-school like they did… certainly when I was playing. The starting pitchers would often sit, sometimes in street clothes in the stands, but if it was on TV, inside the clubhouse. The starting pitcher for the next day would chart pitches.
“So, he's here grinding away doing his thing and talking pitching with Max (Fried).”
Cole did not allow a run in his one inning of work. He did surrender two hits, but one of those came on a bunt. Overall, it was an encouraging outing for his first start back after having Tommy John surgery.
Cole will not be ready for Opening Day. The Yankees are proceeding with patience. While an official timeline for the right-handed hurler to join the big league rotation has yet to be revealed, it seems as if Cole could be ready within the first few months of the regular season.
