Surprise! Gerrit Cole is back!<\/p>\n
Well, sort of. The Yankee ace will be pitching in today\u2019s spring training game against the Red Sox at George M. Steinbrenner Field. But make sure you get to your TVs (or streaming devices) in time for first pitch! Cole is only scheduled to pitch one inning today\u2014and then he will continue his preparation for a return to full action at some point in the first half of the regular season.<\/p>\n
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It feels like even longer than a full year since the last time we saw Cole pitch. While you can never be fully confident that a 35-year old coming off reconstructive elbow surgery will look like the top-flight starter he\u2019s been over the last decade, everyone with the Yankees has said he\u2019s aced his rehab process so far. This Grapefruit League game against Boston is just another box to check off in that process, albeit a significant one.<\/p>\n
He\u2019ll be opposed by a talented young lefty we last saw in last year\u2019s Wild Card Series. Connelly Early was overshadowed by fellow rookie Cam Schlittler in Game 3, but got out to an impressive start in that ballgame before faltering in the fourth inning. Early has had a strong spring so far as he looks to secure a back-of-the-rotation spot for a Red Sox pitching staff flush with depth.<\/p>\n
With Team USA\u2019s defeat at the hands of Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic final last night, Aaron Judge is officially free to return to being captain of the Yankees. That said, he won\u2019t be in today\u2019s lineup so soon after the fact. Most of the Bomber batters who participated in earlier games of the WBC will be, though, including leadoff hitter Amed Rosario\u2014as well as the 6-7-8 hitters in Jazz Chisholm, Jos\u00e9 Caballero, and Austin Wells. Also in the lineup today are Ben Rice, Giancarlo Stanton, and left fielder Randal Grichuk. Kenedy Corona will play in Judge\u2019s usual right field spot and hit ninth.<\/p>\n
The Red Sox lineup has decidedly fewer household names\u2014Kristian Campbell is the only player who received extensive MLB time last year. But hey, that\u2019s spring training road trips for you.<\/p>\n
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How to watch<\/p>\n
Location: George M. Steinbrenner Field \u2014 Tampa, FL<\/p>\n
First pitch: 1:05 pm ET<\/p>\n
TV broadcast: YES<\/p>\n
Radio broadcast: WFAN, WEEI<\/p>\n
Online stream: Gotham Sports App, MLB.tv<\/p>\n
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