For a team expected to once again be a serious contender for the American League East pennant — and more — the New York Yankees head into the 2026 season with a thin starting rotation.
After last season’s 19-game winner Max Fried at the top of the rotation, the Yankees starting staff is filled with uncertainty. But the biggest question is clearly the 2023 Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole, who missed all of 2025 with Tommy John surgery.
Cole will miss the start of the season, but when will he return? Based on recent statements, Cole says one thing, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone says another.
A player publicly shutting down his manager in a statement to the press is a rare occurrence in baseball, but that appears to be what Cole just did.
Strong But Limited Spring Outings for Cole
Cole has shown strong signs that he is recovering from his Tommy John surgery, which he underwent during spring training last year, in a pair of Grapefruit League outings against big league hitters, and that may indicate that the Yankees are trying to accelerate his return timeline, according to a report by analyst Sara Molnick of Pinstripes Nation.
“Cole’s results are encouraging. But the Yankees’ willingness to accelerate his pitch count, from 10 pitches to a projected two-inning appearance in the span of less than two weeks, carries a secondary meaning when the fourth and fifth rotation spots look the way they do,” Molnick wrote.
In his first outing, a one-inning appearance against the Boston Red Sox last Wednesday, Cole allowed two hits but pitched out of trouble, though he neither struck out nor walked a batter.
In his first of two expected innings against the Chicago Cubs in the Yankees’ spring-closing game, Cole allowed a home run to third baseman Alex Bregman but nothing else, while striking out the side.
Boone, Cole Give Competing Timelines
Clearly for the Yankees, the sooner Cole can get back on the Yankee Stadium mound, the better. Asked about his ace’s return timeline on Sunday, Boone said, “I think middle of May you could envision.”
But Boone was careful to add, “I don’t want to put a date on it yet. It’s still going to be a while.”
Until Boone’s statement, Cole’s return date was widely projected as coming on or near June 1.
Yankees correspondent Randy Miller of NJ.com put the question directly to Cole, in a Tuesday report for the outlet, asking the six-time All-Star if the May estimate was realistic.
Cole responded in just two words.
“No way,” the ace said flatly, as quoted by Miller.
“That’s not happening because the Yankees will not aggressively be full-speed ahead in the final stages of Cole’s rehab, which basically is making sure he’s OK while building up his pitch count,” Miller explained. “But because Cole already has pitched an inning and he’s scheduled for two more on Tuesday in an exhibition game against the Cubs in Mesa, Ariz., the Yankees’ best-case return timeframe is being pushed up a little.”
In his second inning of work on Tuesday, Cole retired second baseman Nico Hoerner on a fly ball, then got another fly ball out from shortstop Dansby Swanson before Boone removed him from the game after 26 pitches.
Yankees Ace Gerrit Cole’s 2-Word Message Shuts Down Aaron Boone