Yankees’ Gerrit Cole set for huge step towards return from injury

The New York Yankees have been throwing the ball extremely well this season, but it’s common knowledge they’re without reigning AL Cy Young winner, Gerrit Cole. The ace felt discomfort in his elbow in spring training and was ultimately shut down due to the injury. That being said, it sounds like it won’t be too long until Cole is spearheading the rotation again.

Skipper Aaron Boone revealed that Cole will finally throw off a mound on Saturday in some capacity, per MLB.com. The veteran has been throwing consistently and reported no soreness or setbacks, therefore the Yanks are comfortable with him taking this next step.

“It’s a step,” Boone said Friday. “I think it’s gone well so far — his buildup and checking the boxes and the levels of intensity of throwing and things like that. So far, so good, and getting off the mound will obviously be another step.”

Earlier this week, Boone was non-committal to Cole returning soon:

“I’m sure it’s soon, but I don’t have that,” Boone said, via nydailynews.com. “I wouldn’t even want to guess on that. He and the trainers and everyone’s kind of working through that. So we’ll see.”

Gerrit Cole is eligible to be activated off the 60-day IL on May 27th at the very earliest, so it appears he’s in a good spot right now.

Yankees’ staff is thriving without Gerrit Cole

I don’t think anyone could’ve predicted the Yankees pitching staff performing so well sans Cole. He’s an absolute stud who has proven to be their most consistent starter over the last number of years.

New York ranks third in the big leagues in overall ERA at 3.03. Their rotation? eighth at 3.48. Not too shabby. Nestor Cortes, Clarke Schmidt, Marcus Stroman, Luke Weaver, and Carlos Rodon all have ERAs under four.

Although Gerrit Cole isn’t actually contributing, he’s been an important voice in the clubhouse, offering his expertise and experience to his fellow starters, as Cortes alluded to a few weeks ago.

Via The Athletic:

“He has a different view of the game from the pitching coaches because he’s done it for so long,” Cortes said. “He’s more about in-game insights than game planning. Maybe he’ll see something during a first at-bat or a second at-bat — what can you do to make it better now or to face the guy better a third time around?”

Cole is coming off a marvelous 2023 campaign where he finally won the Cy Young after years of falling just short in voting. The former UCLA standout posted a 15-4 record and 2.63 ERA, striking out 222 hitters in a career-high 209 innings pitched.

The Yankees obviously want to be cautious with his recovery after avoiding any elbow surgery. New York is looking the part of a contender early on, despite just losing three of four to the Baltimore Orioles. Gerrit Cole will be pivotal in a potential World Series run and by the looks of it, the staff is doing just fine for the time being.

As long as all goes well in his next few bullpen sessions, a rehab assignment around the middle of the month is possible.