TAMPA, Fla. (AP) 鈥� Gerrit Cole returned to a mound to pitch in a game after a 377-day absence and threw a scoreless first inning Wednesday for the New York Yankees in an exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox.
Cole threw 10 pitches, seven for strikes, including six four-seam fastballs that averaged 97.1 mph, ranging from 98.7 mph 96.1 mph. He threw two sliders and a pair of knuckle-curves.
Cole wasn’t happy with his command.
鈥淚t was not great today. Not objectively,鈥� he said on the YES Network broadcast. 鈥淚t has been really good recently but probably today was the worst it’s been. So it was serviceable for the most part, but I would say it was another level of intensity out there. The velocity creeped up.”
His first pitch, a 96.6 mph fastball to Braiden Ward, was bunted to the right side for a single as Cole slid toward the base trying to field it. Ward stole second, held as Kristian Campbell flied out and was caught stealing third by catcher Austin Wells.
Jason Delay lined a 1-2 fastball into left for a single, and Nathan Hickey grounded out on a first-pitch knuckle-curve.
鈥淥bviously good life on the heater, the sinker,鈥� Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on the telecast. 鈥淥verall, good for him to get out there and get that next wave of competitive environment.鈥�
Pitching with a slight beard 鈥� the Yankees relaxed their facial hair policy last year 鈥� Cole showed his altered windup, in which he puts his hands over his head.
鈥淚 think right now he likes it,鈥� Boone said. 鈥淒oesn鈥檛 mean he won鈥檛 go back to his other way at some point, but I think it’s just kind of a rhythm and timing thing for him.鈥�
A 35-year-old right-hander, Cole on March 11 last year with Los Angeles Dodgers team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
His last official outing was in . The six-time All-Star pitched in two spring training games in 2025, the last on March 6.
Cole threw his and .
Boone projects Cole to make his season debut in late May or early June.
because of . He went 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts for New York and was 1-0 with a 2.17 ERA in five postseason starts.
Cole is signed to a . He has a 153-80 career record and 3.18 ERA over 317 starts with Pittsburgh (2013-17), Houston (2018-19) and the Yankees (starting in 2020).
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