The New York Yankees pitching staff has been magnificent to this point.
As of Monday afternoon, they rank first in baseball with a 2.81 ERA, the only team under 3.00.
The work performed by pitching coach Matt Blake has been outstanding, and the pitchers have been phenomenal.
The Yanks have done this without their ace, as Gerrit Cole has been battling right elbow inflammation since spring training.
The right-hander has been making strides, though, throwing bullpens in the past couple of weeks.
Now, according to Yankees insider Bryan Hoch, he is ready to take his rehab to the next level.
“Gerrit Cole is scheduled to face hitters tomorrow, Aaron Boone said,” he tweeted.
Gerrit Cole is scheduled to face hitters tomorrow, Aaron Boone said.
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) May 20, 2024
Facing hitters is the last obstacle to overcome before going on a rehab assignment, so this is major news.
Cole is getting closer and closer to a return, and the Yankees couldn’t be more thrilled.
First, he will need to get through Tuesday’s live batting practice session without any issues.
Then, the Yankees will determine how many additional sessions he will need before going on a rehab assignment.
That assignment is likely to be comprised of multiple starts, so the Yankees will probably need to wait at least a few more weeks.
Facing hitters is a big step, though, and you can almost feel the excitement of Yankees fans to hear this development.
Cole won his first AL Cy Young award last year, finishing with a 2.63 ERA and dominating the competition.
Having an arm of his caliber back in the rotation would be a huge addition and could create a nice problem to have: six competent, quality starters for five spots.
