In his first MLB start since Oct. 30, 2024, New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole was dealing.
He allowed just two hits and zero runs over six innings of work and looked just as impressive as he was before having Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for over a year.
But Cole was pulled by manager Aaron Boone before the seventh inning after just 72 pitches. Yankees fans seemed a bit disappointed by the move. Cole may have had another inning left in him, but Boone seemingly didn’t want to tempt fate.
Cole himself was understanding of Boone’s decision, telling reporters after the game he made the right call.
“I feel like that was a smart play,” Cole stated. “You know, it may seem easy, but it was a high-pressure, tough game. I had one quick inning and we made some great defensive plays that led to some of that efficiency as well. Overall, it was good work for what we had out there.”
Getting Cole through his comeback start unscathed was a good sign for Yankees fans, who likely breathed a sigh of relief that the former Cy Young winner showed no signs of any lingering elbow issues.
Though the Yankees lost to the Tampa Bay Rasy 4-2, overall the team had to have liked what it saw from Cole.
His velocity appeared to be right where it should be, he didn’t show any signs of fatigue, and his stuff looked as good as it was pre-injury.
Adding Cole back into the rotation is a big win for the Yankees, who will be without Max Fried for a little while longer. His presence next to emerging ace Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and Ryan Weathers makes New York a dangerous team to go up against.
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