Gerrit Cole’s first minor-league rehab start since Tommy John surgery gave the Yankees a real, if measured, step forward in their rotation rebuild. The Somerset outing, along with updates on other rehabbing stars and a rising prospect, hints at a summer where New York tries to balance health with a push back to contention.
This piece breaks down what played out on the field and what it might mean for the Yankees in June and beyond.
Gerrit Cole’s rehab start: Somerset report
Gerrit Cole, 35, took the mound for Double-A Somerset. He worked 4⅓ innings, allowing three runs on three hits, including a two-run homer.
Cole threw 44 pitches—36 for strikes—walked one, and struck out three against Reading. The Yankees planned for about 45 pitches, and he left in the fifth after fielding a grounder for the first out.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone called it “another good step” in Cole’s recovery and stressed a slow, careful build-up. Cole, a six-time All-Star and the 2023 AL Cy Young winner, is coming off reconstructive elbow surgery from last year.
He’d already made two one-inning spring starts and faced hitters in simulated games. Most recently, he threw 42 pitches across three simulated innings against High-A Hudson Valley.
The Yankees hope to have Cole back in the rotation in June. They’re moving cautiously, taking advantage of extended minor-league rehab options for pitchers after Tommy John surgery.
Pitchers get 30 days for rehab assignments, and those coming off Tommy John can get three consecutive 10-day extensions. That gives New York some wiggle room with his timeline.
In the same game, shortstop Anthony Volpe, rehabbing a torn labrum, played for Somerset. He went 1-for-2 with a walk, scored twice, and stole a base.
The whole scene was a reminder: the Yankees are juggling several rehab projects at once.
Yankees’ rehab strategy and timeline
- Projected June return to the Yankees’ rotation, with Cole building up innings slowly and avoiding any rushed ramp-up after elbow surgery.
- Gradual load management as the team watches command, velocity, and endurance. They want him truly ready for the rotation, not just barely there.
- Flexible rehab window for Tommy John patients, with 30 days for a rehab assignment and up to three consecutive 10-day extensions. New York can really tailor the schedule to Cole’s progress.
Other rehab updates: Rodón and Volpe
- Carlos Rodón plans to face hitters in live batting practice. He’ll probably start a rehab assignment next week after dealing with elbow surgery and a hamstring issue. That’s a real sign he might actually make it back to the Yankees’ mound later this season, though nothing’s ever certain with pitching rehabs.
- Anthony Volpe kept moving forward in his own rehab, playing in the same Double-A game. He went 1-for-2, drew a walk, scored twice, and even stole a base. It’s another good sign as he works his way back from that torn labrum. The kid just keeps finding ways to contribute, doesn’t he?
Here is the source article for this story: Yankees’ Gerrit Cole throws 4⅓ innings in his 1st rehab start
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