The Yankees are cruising along just fine right now, thank you very much. But if they want to shift from “pretty good” to “utterly terrifying,” there’s one key ingredient missing: a fully operational Gerrit Cole.
Pairing Max Fried with a healthy Cole wouldn’t just be a good 1-2 punch—it’d be a Cy Young–infused knockout combo that could make opposing lineups want to call in sick. Sadly, for now, that’s still just a fantasy.
Cole, speaking publicly for the first time since elbow surgery ended his 2024 season before it even started, gave a cautious but hopeful update: he’s aiming to start throwing again in August. That’s post–Tommy John surgery and an internal brace procedure to reinforce the UCL in his right arm—basically the orthopedic version of a pit stop and full rebuild.
There’s no ETA for his return to actual pitching—let alone pitching dominance—and it’s entirely possible he won’t touch a mound this year. We will have to wait and see.
It’s a cruel twist of fate. Cole was fresh off winning the AL Cy Young in 2023 and still managed to log 95 innings across 17 starts last season with a solid 8-5 record, a 3.41 ERA, and 99 strikeouts. Then, boom—elbow betrayal.
The big question now? Will he be ready to roll in 2026, or will the Yankees need to find another ace to pair with Fried in the meantime?
For now, Cole is watching from the dugout. But if and when he comes back healthy, the Bronx could be home to the nastiest left-right pitching duo in the league. Let’s just hope time—and elbow ligaments—are on his side.
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