The quest for World Series title number 28 continues for the New York Yankees. After missing all of last season due to Tommy John surgery, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole threw his first live bullpen session since surgery on Friday morning. Cole showed that he's already close to midseason form. New York captain Aaron Judge weighed in on Cole's performance, with his thoughts shared by team beat reporter Brendan Kuty on X, formerly Twitter.
“It looked like the old 45 that I’ve seen for years,” Judge remarked after the session.
The Yankees' best shot at returning to the World Series features Cole at his best. The former Cy Young award winner has been worth every penny of his $324 million contract. The only thing he hasn't accomplished? Winning a championship in the Bronx. If Judge's report is accurate, Cole could very well make life difficult for New York's opponents this season. Can Cole and Judge finally deliver championship gold to Yankee Stadium?
Yankees look to Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole
At the height of their powers, Judge and Cole are two of the very best players on the planet. Cole finally captured the elusive Cy Young Award after an excellent 2023 campaign. The following year, he helped lead the Yankees to the World Series. Meanwhile, Judge has won back-to-back AL MVP awards and has served as New York's captain since resigning with the team in the winter of 2022.
Now, the duo will need to lead the Bronx Bombers to a title to cement their legacies. While both players are almost certainly bound for Cooperstown once they retire, bringing the 28th title to baseball's most storied franchise would leave no doubt. Can Judge and Cole once again display award-winning forms in a successful 2026 campaign? If so, don't be surprised to see the Yankees lift the World Series trophy once again this fall.
