Gerrit Cole’s long wait is over.
But the Yankees have warned that they will need to wait until Gerrit Cole is back to full fitness.
The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner is scheduled to make his season debut on Wednesday, about 3 1/2 months after an elbow injury caused panic early in spring training.
After one Grapefruit League appearance, Cole was suspended and eventually diagnosed with nerve inflammation and swelling, but importantly did not require surgery.
He didn’t pitch again for several weeks.
He didn’t take the mound again until May 5th.
His minor league rehab assignment didn’t begin until June 4, more than two months after the start of the season.
Cole’s long road back to the majors has included three rehab appearances, the last of which came on Friday, when he threw 4 1/3 innings and 68 pitches.
The right-hander is making his long-awaited return and is ready to throw about 80 pitches when he takes on the second-place Orioles.
“The biggest thing is keeping him healthy and getting through this,” Yankees acting manager Brad Ausmus said Tuesday before the Yankees’ 4-2 win over the Orioles in the Bronx. “With Gerrit Cole, we want him to be productive all year, overall. This is another step to get him back to full Gerrit Cole, Cy Young form.”
Cole’s rehab efforts didn’t seem to slow him down, allowing just one run and striking out 19 batters in 12 1/3 innings.
The Yankees have the best starting pitcher in major league baseball (2.90), so there was no need to rush the 33-year-old pitcher back into action.
Luis Gil earned the fifth starter spot out of camp and pitched like a replacement ace, so the goal Wednesday is not so much to win as to make sure Cole gets off the mound safely.
“We definitely want to use Gerrit Cole all season, so he’ll be a big focus,” Ausmus said. “We need to get him back in the rotation, so this is a great first step. It’s good to have him here.”
If there’s any downside to the Yankees bringing back arguably the best pitcher in baseball, Ausmus joked, it’s that they’ll essentially lose another coach in the dugout on the days he starts. Cole has been in and out of the team so much that Gill recently referred to Cole as “the professor.”
“We’re going to miss his coaching ability in the dugout,” Ausmus said.
Ausmus assumed managerial duties for much of the game as Boone was with his son, Brandon.‘High school graduate.
Boone returned to the dugout during the game, and on his drive to the stadium, he was listening to the game on the radio when Aaron Judge wash.
“He wants to watch the graduation, see his son after the ceremony, get some pictures, and then he’ll be back at the stadium,” said Ausmus, a five-year manager who filled in for Boone after three ejections this season.
The busy day of transactions also included the relocation of Clark Schmidt. Placed on the 60-day disabled list.
Schmidt, who is out with a right lat muscle injury, isn’t expected to return until July 26.
Boone said the team has yet to determine the severity of Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre prospect Jasson Dominguez’s oblique injury.
The Yankees allowed nine stolen bases against the Red Sox on Sunday (the most in a century) but then held Baltimore to just one.
The Yankees welcomed the 2024 Yankees Stonewall Scholarship recipients onto the field to watch batting practice and participate in pre-game ceremonies.
The Yankees Stonewall Scholarship Initiative will award scholarships worth $50,000 to “student leaders who have demonstrated academic achievement, a commitment to equality and impactful support for the LGBTQ+ community.”
