Gerrit Cole Starts Rehab Assignment with Double-A Somerset on Friday

Gerrit Cole is taking a significant step toward rejoining the New York Yankees’ starting rotation. The 2023 American League Cy Young Award winner is set to begin his rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset on Friday, as confirmed by Yankees manager Aaron Boone during a press conference on Thursday.

After missing the entire 2025 MLB season due to Tommy John surgery last spring, Cole had an encouraging showing during spring training. He reached speeds of up to 98 mph with his fastball and allowed just one run and three hits over 2 2/3 innings, striking out three batters in two appearances.

Boone indicated that Cole will throw approximately 40 pitches against Double-A Reading, a Philadelphia Phillies affiliate. This decision follows a successful throwing session on Wednesday, which raised no concerns about Cole’s readiness. The Yankees are hopeful for a late May or early June return to the major leagues for the ace pitcher. “We’re looking forward to him starting on Friday, and then we’ll build him from there,” Boone stated. “Even when he gets back to us [in the majors], we’ll probably be conservative with him.”

In his last appearance for the Yankees, Cole pitched in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, allowing five unearned runs due to errors from Aaron Judge and Anthony Volpe, while recording four hits, six strikeouts, and four walks. During the regular season, Cole faced challenges that limited him to just 17 starts due to nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow. He finished the season with a 3.41 ERA, an 8-5 record, and 99 strikeouts across 95 innings. In the postseason, he excelled with a 2.17 ERA and a 1-0 record, compiling 22 strikeouts and 10 walks over 29 innings.

Cole isn’t the only player working his way back to the major leagues. Fellow starting pitcher Carlos Rodón and shortstop Anthony Volpe are also on the mend. Rodón, who is 33 years old, has a throwing session scheduled with Somerset on Saturday. If successful, he is expected to start his rehab assignment soon. Rodón underwent surgery in October to remove bone chips and shave down a bone spur in his left elbow. He also faced a left hamstring issue during spring training that delayed his recovery.

Meanwhile, Volpe, who turns 25 on April 28, is set to begin his rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset on Thursday and will participate in three games before moving up to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Volpe had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder after the last season. He initially sustained the injury last May and aggravated it in September. Despite batting .212/.272/.391, he faced criticism from Yankees fans for committing 19 errors at shortstop, resulting in a -7 Outs Above Average, ranking among the worst in MLB for shortstops with significant playing time.

In Volpe’s absence, José Caballero has struggled at the plate, posting a .186/.238/.305 line in 63 plate appearances. Defensively, he has recorded three errors in 17 games, with a Defensive Run Saved of one and -3 OAA. However, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman reassured reporters last week that Volpe will reclaim the starting shortstop position upon his return.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.