Major League Baseball's Opening Day is less than a month away. That sentiment ought to get baseball fans fired up. The Los Angeles Dodgers will enter 2026 as the prohibitive favorites to once again win the World Series. But the New York Yankees take a back seat to no one when it comes to expectations.
Following a throwing session on Thursday, Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole provided an update on his injured shoulder.
“I would say it's [his rehab] gone very well. We've hit every marker that we've tried to hit. We're in the parameters of what we're looking for,” Cole said.
“The level of execution has been really high, especially the last start. It doesn't always happen like that, but so far, so good.”
The former Yankees ace has been working his way back from Tommy John surgery in March of 2025. The shoulder injury kept Cole out all of last season, and he made just 17 starts in 2024.
He was recently seen hitting 97 miles-per-hour on the radar gun, which is a great sign.
“I hadn't really been anywhere close to that in my bullpens. But when the big dogs are in the box, you want to do everything you can to prevent the ball from coming back at your face.”
The Yankees do not expect Cole back anytime soon. His projected return is likely sometime in June. Nevertheless, hitting each bench mark is positive. If New York can get Cole back to anything close to what he was before the injury, this team will certainly compete for a world championship.
With Max Fried atop the rotation, Carlos Rodon still in form, and Cam Schlittler ready to take the next step, the Yankees' pitching could become lethal in 2026.
