BALTIMORE — Yankees forward Gerrit Cole’s daily updates are all positive as he continues to work on improving his pitching lately.
The team was adamant about not saying when the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner would return from the elbow neuritis and edema he experienced midway through spring training, but on Wednesday the calendar turned to May. , Cole has not yet returned. Throw the mound.
That could happen as soon as this weekend when the team returns home from a seven-game road trip, but even if it does, it’s clear Cole still has room to strengthen before returning to the rotation. There is a possibility.
The earliest Cole can be taken off the 60-day injured list is May 27, but it will be at least a few more weeks before he is ready.
Asked Wednesday whether the All-Star break (July 13-16) was a likely time for Cole to return, manager Aaron Boone declined to say.
“I don’t even want to speculate on that,” Boone said Wednesday night before the Yankees’ 2-0 win over the Orioles at Camden Yards. “He and the trainer and everyone are trying to get through it. So we’ll see.”
The team has never released a timeline for Cole’s potential return, but the Yankees have announced that he has only just returned after the right-hander’s diagnosis and would require a full spring training period to properly strengthen. (approximately 6 weeks). As long as they start one Grapefruit League game on March 1st.
But pitchers typically arrive at spring training having already pitched at least a few bullpen sessions, even if they haven’t faced live batters yet. So when that six-week period begins for Cole remains to be determined.
For now, Cole is back in New York continuing to practice pitching on the field.
He increased his usual distance to 120 feet during pitcher rehab last week and has increased the intensity of those sessions in the days since.
“[Cole] It was a pretty heavy pitching day. [Tuesday] That seems to have worked, too,” Boone said.
When will he progress to coming off the mound?
“I think it’s coming soon, but I don’t have it,” Boone said.
The Yankees aren’t in any danger of rushing Cole’s rehab under any scenario, but the fact that the rotation has worked well without him for the first month-plus of the season gives them added comfort.
Entering Wednesday, a group of Nestor Cortez, Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman, Clark Schmidt and Luis Gil, plus one strong spot starter in Cody Poteet, combined for a 3.38 ERA. However, this was the fifth-lowest in the majors.
He allowed three or fewer earned runs in 25 of his 31 starting games.
“They’re a big reason why we have the record we have at this point,” said Boone, whose club finished Wednesday with a 19-12 record.
“They gave us a chance to win every night. Even though they had a game where they weren’t at their best, they still managed to give us a chance to win. They set the tone for us every night. He decided.”
It’s possible Cole could move up that six-week spring training schedule, but the Yankees brought some of their starters back from injuries too soon and suffered major injuries last season, so it’s unlikely they’ll make the same mistake with their ace. The probability of committing a crime is low.
“We know we won’t have Gerrit Cole at the start.” [the season] It’s going to be a tough game, but the players have worked hard,” Cortez said. “The players pitched well. Overall, I think we did a decent job in terms of digging deep into the game. “Obviously we’re waiting for Gerrit to come back, but when he comes back, We will hold the fort until then.”
