Gerrit Cole may be able to return from the injured list in June. The New York Yankees ace reportedly threw 22 pitches on Tuesday amid his injury rehab.
“Gerrit Cole threw to hitters today. 22 pitches per Cole. Felt sharp. Said fb (fastball) came out at 96mph & Matt Blake told him to dial it back. Cole added there was a lot of adrenaline and added excitement today. Needs another session or two before a rehab assignment is discussed,” Meredith Marakovits of YES wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Cole “looked real sharp” on Tuesday, via Gary Phillips of New York Daily News Sports. When asked about a potential June injury return, Boone said “it's possible” but an injury return date has yet to be made official.
Cole's Tuesday throwing session was important. He was placed on the injured list with right elbow inflammation before Opening Day. Of course, elbow injuries are always frightening for pitchers. Fortunately, Cole was able to avoid Tommy John surgery and he is expecting to return fairly soon.
With that being said, there are no guarantees that the Yankees ace will make his 2024 debut in June. The fact that it is a possibility is encouraging, though. Barring any setbacks, it appears that there is a chance of Cole returning within the next few weeks.
Yankees' pitching finding success despite Gerrit Cole's injury absence
The Yankees pitching has still managed to perform well in 2024 despite Cole's absence. New York's pitching outlook was uncertain after it was revealed that he'd miss the first portion of the 2024 season. However, they have stepped up and pitched well for the most part.
The Yankees currently lead MLB in ERA with a mark of 2.86, per MLB.com. As a result, they have given up the least amount of total runs and earned runs.
Yankees star pitcher Marcus Stroman recently revealed an underlying reason for the success of New York's pitching in 2024, via Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News.
“We all just genuinely like each other,” Stroman said. “We all just genuinely vibe together. It’s not like sometimes on different staffs, you’re kind of forced to be with those people around you. I think we all just love each other here throughout the clubhouse. So it’s very easy, the flow of knowledge, the flow of information with how much everyone’s cool with each other.
“It just feels like a very, very tight-knit group. It feels like home in this clubhouse. I think everybody feels the same way.”
Team chemistry is unquestionably important. Some teams may have lost hope after losing their ace for a significant period of time. But New York has come together despite the reigning American League Cy Young winner's absence.
Still, the Yankees are certainly hopeful that Cole can return soon. One can only imagine how well the starting rotation will perform once Cole returns given their success so far this year.
We will continue to monitor and provide updates on Gerrit Cole's injury status as they are made available.
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