Yankees' Gerrit Cole 'feeling good' after critical rehab start

Cole is on the road to recovery after Tommy John surgery, with several more rehab starts ahead before a potential return in mid-to-late May.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 6:03pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting Gerrit Cole's pitching motion broken down into overlapping planes of color, representing the complexity of his recovery process.Gerrit Cole's long road back from Tommy John surgery takes another positive step with a strong rehab outing, as the Yankees ace works to regain his dominant form.NYC Today

Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, over 13 months removed from undergoing Tommy John surgery, felt 'good' and experienced only normal soreness after his first rehab start with Double-A Somerset on Friday night. Cole threw 44 pitches across 4 1/3 innings, with his fastball sitting around 95-96 mph. The Yankees will continue to be deliberate in building up Cole's workload, with his next start likely to come with High-A Hudson Valley or Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Why it matters

Cole's successful return from injury is crucial for the Yankees, who are looking to bounce back after missing the playoffs last season. The team will take a cautious approach to ensure Cole is fully recovered and able to contribute throughout the entire 2026 season.

The details

In his first rehab start, Cole reported feeling 'good' and experiencing only normal soreness. His fastball sat around 95-96 mph, a few ticks up from his recent live batting practice sessions. The Yankees plan to continue building up Cole's workload, with his next start likely coming at the High-A or Triple-A level.

  • On April 17, 2026, Cole made his first rehab start with Double-A Somerset, throwing 44 pitches across 4 1/3 innings.
  • Cole's next rehab start will likely come next week, either with High-A Hudson Valley or Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The players

Gerrit Cole

The Yankees' 35-year-old ace pitcher, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery and working his way back to the big leagues.

Aaron Boone

The manager of the New York Yankees, who is overseeing Cole's recovery and rehab process.

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What they’re saying

“'Pretty standard,' Cole said Saturday morning at Yankee Stadium.”

— Gerrit Cole, Yankees Pitcher

“'All in all, a really strong step for him. We'll be disciplined to make sure we take the right amount of time. What's important is, coming off a year where not only he's rehabbing and coming back from a major surgery, but that means no innings last year. So we want to put him in a position where not only is he ready to go at the start, but also able to carry that throughout the season.'”

— Aaron Boone, Yankees Manager

What’s next

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The takeaway

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