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Gerrit Cole took a significant step Monday in his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery.
The 2023 Cy Young Award winner and six-time All-Star began his throwing program before the Yankees started a three-game series against the Twins with a 6-2 victory. It was 20 pitches off flat ground.
“It felt really good today. I was fairly accurate and had a good time,” Cole said. “It’s a big one, first day throwing. Been building up to it for a few weeks, so it’s nice to get outside and get it accomplished and have it go well.”
Cole, 34, underwent surgery March 11 to repair a torn ligament in his right elbow after appearing in two spring training games.
The operation included an internal brace in the hope of speeding up his recovery. Cole said the next big step is getting on the mound.
“Excited for him. He’s done a good job with rehab,” manager Aaron Boone said. “This is one of those cool markers along the way that is significant to hit.”
Pitchers Fernando Cruz (left oblique strain) and Ryan Yarbrough (right oblique strain) are scheduled to begin rehabilitation assignments Thursday with Double-A Somerset. Boone said the plan for Cruz, a high-leverage right-handed reliever, is to throw Thursday, Sunday and Tuesday before potentially rejoining the Yankees. Out since late June, Cruz threw a 19-pitch live batting practice session Sunday.
There is more uncertainty with Yarbrough, who has made eight starts for the Yankees and could be an option for the rotation.
“It just depends how much we want to build him up,” Boone said. “Do we grab him? Do we keep building him out? We’ll see what we’re dealing with here, how he’s doing.”
Yarbrough also threw a live BP session Sunday.
Aaron Judge won’t appear in the outfield in the series against the Twins, Boone said, but he could be out there shortly after the next three games.
Dating back to 2002, the Yankees are 107-42 against the Twins during the regular season, the best record by any team against another in its own league over that time. Counting the postseason, the Yankees are 123-44 against Minnesota since 2002. They also have won seven straight over the Twins.
– Additional reporting by Andrew Crane
