Erik Boland: Yankees' Gerrit Cole set to return Friday, and it's on his own terms
Yankees' Gerrit Cole looks on from the dugout in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium on May 1, 2026. Credit: Getty Images/Elsa
Leaving Citi Field early Sunday night, Aaron Boone thought the Yankees would have Gerrit Cole make one more rehab start.
That, a seventh outing in the minors, had been the organization’s plan for much of the last month.
But upon talking with Cole, who threw his sixth rehab outing Saturday night with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the ace righthander made his first big delivery of the 2026 season.
“I’m ready,” came Cole’s bottom-line message to the Yankees’ manager.
And, so, it really wasn’t much more complicated than that.
Hearing that from their ace, who missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2025, was enough. Boone announced before Tuesday night’s game against the Blue Jays that Cole will make his season-debut Friday night against the Rays at the Stadium.
“When we all looked at it and considered all the variables, it checked all of the boxes,” Cole said of Saturday’s outing when he allowed one run, six hits and a walk in 5 1/3 innings in which he struck out six. The 35-year-old, whose fastball peaked at 99.6 mph and averaged 97 mph overall, threw 86 pitches.
“He definitely said, ‘I’m ready.’ Yes,” Boone said. “So that was definitely a part of this…(he said) I feel ready to go if you guys think it’s time.”
The Yankees’ rotation, consistently one of the best in the majors this season, could use the boost with stud lefthander Max Fried hitting the injured list earlier in the week with a left elbow bone bruise.
But even the uncertainty surrounding Fried – there is no timetable as of yet for his return – the decision on Cole was unrelated.
Cole’s rehab went without setback – “feel like he’s crushed his rehab,” Boone said – and the Yankees simply weren’t going to return him to the rotation until everything about the pitcher told them he was ready.
“We were going to play the long game with this,” Boone said.
Meaning, not doing anything to jeopardize Cole who, until a flexor strain cost him 2 ½ months of the 2024 season and the right ulnar collateral ligament tear he suffered last year necessitated Tommy John, had been among the most durable pitchers in the sport.
All while being among the best.
“He has done everything he needs to (do) to compete now at this level,” Boone said.
In other words, Cole had accomplished everything – physically in his recovery, with his stuff, pitch sequencing, etc. – that he could pitching in rehab games, whether they be for High-A Hudson Valley, Double-A Somerset or in Triple-A with Scranton.
Players who go through rehab assignments often talk about, while there’s no fundamental difference playing games in the minor leagues, there just isn’t a way to replicate what they see, and experience, at this level.
“I’m most looking forward to competing at the highest stage,” Cole said. “We have a first-place club (the Rays) coming in…they have the best record in the American League, a division opponent, so pretty high stakes Friday night for May. It’s just a blessing to play the game. You get a better sense of that once you’re removed from it. So just getting back into that environment and having not taken that for granted, it’s exciting for sure.”
Exciting as starting his first regular season game in the majors since Sept. 26, 2024 is for Cole, the pitcher steered clear of setting expectations.
“I think I’m planning for the best but at the same time, not too far removed from understanding that I may have to adapt as the game unfolds, as the situations unfold,” Cole said. “But that process is not necessarily any different than before (having the surgery). I’m not going to speculate on what could happen or what wouldn’t happen, but I feel like I’ve built enough domain and I’m in a good frame of mind (to) be as prepared as possible to do the best I can (for) whatever challenges come our way on Friday.”
Challenges, whatever they may be, that the uber-competitive Cole has been borderline desperate to face again in the major leagues.
It goes without saying, the last 14-plus months of recovery – and the 18-plus months since the last time he was on a big-league mound (Oct. 30, 2024 for the forgettable Game 5 of the World Series) – seemed like an eternity.
“I’ve missed it quite a bit,” Cole said.
Left unsaid for the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner: Friday can’t get here soon enough.
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
