Yankees give update on Gerrit Cole's health after cautious 2024 treatment

The last time we saw Yankees ace Gerrit Cole on an MLB mound, he was running out of gas in all facets, from the legs to the brain.

Most will forget that Cole actually finished Game 5 of the World Series with an admirable head of steam, going 1-2-3 in the sixth inning and retiring the first two batters of the seventh before walking Freddie Freeman (finally, someone figured it out) and exiting. That late charge has been lost to history, though; the fumble-filled fifth inning was just that egregious.

It also seemed to confirm our preconceived notions about the 2024 version of Cole; his return in June from forearm issues in the spring greatly bolstered the Yankees' chances, but he often did not seem to be pitching with quite the same reckless abandon. Instead, his dominance came and went in waves. It often seemed like he was saving his gas up for when it mattered most -- and, in deference to Cole's plan, he gutted out several solid October starts despite battling command issues against Kansas City.

Still, that subtle (perceived, at least) load management resulted in oddball outings like June 25 against the Mets at Citi Field, his second start back, when he surrendered four homers in four innings and most assumed he was still hiding something. Did we ever see the highest-ceiling version of Cole in 2024? Or is that "still-extremely-good-but-the-K-rate-is dropping" version of the right-hander what we should expect moving forward? According to pitching coach Matt Blake's update this week, Cole's currently on track with a normal throwing program, and there should be no hindrances at play next year.

“He actually took a little bit less time off this year and kind of kept the arm moving,” Blake told MLB.com this week. “He’s in the midst of his throwing program now, so I feel good about where he’s at.”

Yankees' Gerrit Cole on track for normal throwing program after 2024 injury, per Matt Blake

Now, all we can hope for is a lack of hiccups and some brighter flashes, one year removed from last spring's interruption (but, crucially, one year older, too).

At this moment in time, the Yankees' rotation projects as elite, topped by Cole and 2024 offseason addition Max Fried, with Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil, and Clarke Schmidt in their wake. Marcus Stroman will serve as their $18 million sixth starter, though the Yankees seem intent on clearing his money and replacing it with an infielder's salary.

While the top level is pristine, the lack of experienced depth could leave the Yankees playing a dangerous game; four of those five frontline starters missed time with injury last season, with only Rodón staying healthy, a tough bet to make given his personal history. Losing projected rotation innings is par for the course in modern baseball. All a fan can ask for is insurance and normalcy during offseason prep. Luckily, Cole seems on track to fulfill the second requirement so far.