Positive Gerrit Cole update suggests Yankees might be slow playing best-case scenario

On Friday, as the Yankees made their way to Sarasota for their spring training opener against the Orioles, Gerrit Cole was taking a massive step forward in his rehab process at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa.

The right-hander threw his first live batting practice since undergoing Tommy John surgery last March. Yup, he was back on the mound less than a year after the procedure, which feels like a massive win for New York.

In the past, we've seen so many pitchers have their rehabs delayed due to complications or perhaps a lack of comfortability getting on the mound as quickly as possible. But Yankees fans know how much of a workhorse Cole is, so there was little doubt he'd be doing everything in his power to make the most starts possible in 2026.

In fact, it appears the Yankees could be slow playing the best-case scenario with Cole. Initial projections don't have him back in the Yankees rotation until at least June, but he touched 97 MPH on the gun Friday vs Aaron Judge and managed to strike out Trent Grisham in the first at-bat of the live BP.

The Yankees are undoubtedly going to err on the side of caution and Cole will need his proper buildup before returning to MLB action, but Aaron Boone already said his ace could appear in games toward the end of spring training. Couple that with what we just saw and we're thinking ... a May return? With proper rest in between so he's ready for October?

Yankees Injury Update: Gerrit Cole looks well ahead of schedule after Tommy John surgery

Sure, maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves. We have to see how Cole feels after his first inning of work since last March. But again, all we're doing is connecting the dots.

Cole told reporters last week that his arm feels really good after the surgery (and it's the best he's felt in years). He also mentioned the target for return remains in the 14-18 month range. The Yankees have good reason to stick to that ... unless Cole continue to defy the progress of his rehab. We're just excited, that's all.

The Yankees have a stacked rotation that will be able to weather the storm without Cole for a couple months. The right-hander has the luxury of taking all the time he needs before he's ready to contribute on a full-time basis. But Yankees fans haven't seen him pitch in a real game since he was robbed of two spectacular starts in the World Series back in 2024. They want him to be able to avenge that as soon as possible.

No matter when he's ready to come back, it appears as if he'll be on the right path to do just that. Just forgive us for being overly optimistic with everything we're seeing and hearing.