Gerrit Cole expressed optimism following his second and final spring training appearance for the New York Yankees. The veteran right-hander missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He is preparing to return to Florida as he gets ready for his delayed season debut.
Cole’s Performance Against the Cubs
Cole, aged 35, pitched 1⅔ innings in the Yankees’ spring training finale. The game was against the Chicago Cubs in Mesa, Arizona. He threw 26 pitches, striking out three and allowing one run, which came from a home run by Alex Bregman.
“Good pitch, better swing, and that’s the way it goes with good players sometimes,” Cole said. He added, “I had some good shapes and some good spots, so all in all, pretty good day.” Cole’s last official outing was in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series.
During the outing, Cole’s fastball averaged 96.3 mph, reaching a high of 98 mph. He used his full repertoire of pitches, including his knuckle curve, slider, sinker, changeup, and cutter. Out of his 26 pitches, 17 were strikes.
Looking Ahead to Cole’s Return
Cole will return to Tampa, Florida, for further preparation. He is expected to make his season debut in late May or early June.
“I had fun out there again,” Cole said. “I think there’s maybe a little greater appreciation for the game — the level of talent, the level of intensity and the demand of the game. It demands your focus, it demands your preparation, and I enjoy that.”
Roster Decisions: Luis Gil to Triple-A
In other team news, Luis Gil will start with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The team has decided to start the season with a four-man rotation.
Manager Aaron Boone said Gil would likely head to the minors to maintain a starting pitcher’s routine, rather than staying with the team in the bullpen. “I think he was a little upset about it, but I feel like he’s in a good frame of mind right now,” Boone said.
Boone added, “We expect him to be in the rotation, but at the same time, there’s a lot of people pushing for competition right now that are pushing themselves into the conversation. That competition is going to remain, so it’s important that [Gil] continues the trajectory he’s been on since the start of camp.”
- Cole is signed to a $324 million, nine-year contract through 2028.
- He has a 153-80 career record and 3.18 ERA over 317 starts.
- The Yankees open the season against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday.
The Yankees will use Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren and Ryan Weathers during that stretch. They have four off days built into the first 13 days of their schedule.