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New York Yankees management likely held its collective breath when Gerrit Cole made his spring training debut on March 18. The ace previously missed the entire 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery a year ago. His last official Major League Baseball appearance came in the 2024 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

After the lengthy rehab, Cole recently completed mound sessions leading up to his preseason debut. In his latest session on March 12, the ace threw 35 pitches and hit 96 MPH on the radar gun. He successfully faced batters without any issues at the time. Five days later, it was announced that Cole would return to the mound to face the Boston Red Sox in Tampa.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone opted to use Cole as the team’s starting pitcher against the rivals. Although the starter gave up two hits in one inning of work, he was able to complete the outing without allowing a run. Interestingly enough, Boston’s lead-off hitter, Braiden Ward, began the game with a bunt single towards Cole.

Ward, however, was caught attempting a stolen base before Cole gave up another single to Jason Delay. While the ace did not record a strikeout in the inning, he only had to throw 10 pitches to complete the inning. More impressively, Cole’s fastball topped out at 98.7 MPH on the day, according to CBS Sports reporter Mike Axisa. Because he made quick work of the Boston hitters, the veteran pitcher finished his work in New York’s bullpen.

New York Yankees Relieved with Gerrit Cole’s Impressive Debut

GettyThe Yankees will start the 2026 season without Gerrit Cole.

Cole’s top fastball velocity on the day is particularly impressive. During his Cy Young-winning campaign in 2023, the ace averaged 96.7 MPH on his four-seam fastball. This average eventually dropped down to 95.9 MPH throughout the 2024 campaign. Cole, however, pitched through elbow issues during 2024. In fact, he only managed to 17 starts on the season, adding up to just 95 total innings on the mound.

The most recent outing will surely ease some concerns in the Bronx. Although it was just one inning of work, it seems as if Cole passed his first big test of the season. Nevertheless, New York will likely be very cautious with their ace moving forward.

Despite appearing in a spring training game, the Yankees are still not expected to fully rely on the starter until late May. Cole will not be named on the team’s opening day roster. Instead, the veteran will gradually ease into action in the minor leagues. Boone needs to make sure that he has a healthy Cole on the roster come playoff time.

New York’s 2026 Success Hinges on Healthy Pitchers

Cole is widely regarded as one of the most important players on the Yankees roster. In fact, ESPN’s Jeff Passan recently claimed that New York’s 2026 season essentially hinges on the ace’s health. Without Cole, the Yankees’ pitching staff struggled against the Toronto Blue Jays in last season’s postseason. The eventual American League champions scored 34 runs in the four games against New York in October.

Assuming Cole is healthy, he would top the Yankees’ pitching staff. At the moment, Boone will go with a starting rotation of Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, Ryan Weathers, and Luis Gil. Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt will also join Cole on the sidelines to start the 2026 campaign. When completely fit, New York should have one of the top rotations in baseball.

Christopher Moore Christopher Moore has been a Heavy.com contributor since 2025. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he has published thousands of articles reporting on multiple professional sports. He was previously a sports writer for World Soccer Talk, the Yahoo! Contributor Network, and the Maryland Sports Blog. More about Christopher Moore

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