Gerrit Cole hit a key milestone in his Tommy John recovery Monday, throwing off flat ground for the first time since his surgery five months ago.
The Yankees ace made 20 throws at Yankee Stadium before the team’s series opener against Minnesota, marking his biggest step forward yet in what’s expected to be a 14-month rehab process.
“It felt really good today. I was fairly accurate and had a good time.”
Cole’s been building toward this moment for weeks now. The 34-year-old right-hander underwent surgery back in March with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, getting an internal brace in his right elbow – a procedure designed to stabilize the ligament while speeding up recovery compared to traditional Tommy John.
Manager Aaron Boone called it “one of those cool markers along the way” and praised Cole’s consistency throughout the rehab process.
What makes this particularly significant is Cole’s timeline. He’s still months away from mound work, but completing the flat-ground program means he can transition into a more standard offseason routine. That’s progress the Yankees desperately need to see from their $324 million investment.
Cole’s dealt with elbow issues before. Last season, he didn’t make his debut until June 19 due to nerve irritation and swelling in the same elbow. He still managed to go 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts, then posted a 2.17 ERA across five postseason outings.
The surgery became necessary after Cole allowed two home runs in a March 6 spring training game against Minnesota – ironically, the same team the Yankees faced Monday. Further testing revealed the need for the procedure.
Cole brings a 153-80 career record and 3.18 ERA over 12 seasons, with more than 1,950 regular season innings and 130-plus postseason innings on his resume. The Yankees signed him through 2028, so they’re not in any rush.
But Monday’s session represents real progress. From here, it’s about staying patient and letting the process play out. The Yankees know they’ll need Cole healthy for their next championship push, whenever that comes.
The next phase? Getting back on the mound. That’s still months away, but Monday’s 20 throws were the first step in that direction.
