Gerrit Cole, the starting pitcher for Yankees Cy Young, who was reimbursed early for the season in mid-March for elbow surgery (TJ surgery), today shared his current journey and experience in rehabilitation, and it is certain that he will return to the pitcher mound in 2026.
After the surgery, Cole removed the protective brace in late April and moved on to the next phase of his rehabilitation, where he now spends six days a week on all the classes needed for rehabilitation, trains with the team more often in the future, and most importantly, of course, he feels very good in his arm and is expected to start passing and receiving in August.
In addition, Cole also said that he does mental practice almost every day, constantly thinking about the details of the matchup, and joked in an interview today, "I haven't been knocked out of any hits lately."
Cole, who made his first appearance in the pit on Monday (5th), said of his current form: "I want to come back with a brand new, like a new set of tyres, it's just that I'm in the pit for a little bit longer. The first few weeks are important and it's a long process, and while it's not fun, you can't rush it, you have to go step by step, it's definitely going to get better, but it's going to take a while."
Yankees head coach Aaron Boone said, "He's got a lot of experience and a lot of success, but he's also been through a lot of trials and struggles, he's got a lot of things to share, and he's happy to share, he's smart enough to take the information and share it with others."
And Cole also said that he expects it will take 14 months to return to the pitcher mound, meaning that May 2026 is the day of his return.
Although the long rehabilitation process can seem boring and grinding, it requires patience and determination, but it also gives Cole more time to spend with his family, especially since Cole's son and Carlos Rondon's son both play on the same Little League team, which allows him to spend more time with his children.
"I have more time to be a dad now, which helps me stay mentally in good shape, and I didn't think of an opportunity like this, so it's great in that regard, but I still really want to play the ball and I miss the fight." Cole said.