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Yankees-Rays Live Updates: Gerrit Cole Works Out of Trouble for Scoreless First Inning
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For the first time in 569 days, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will toe the rubber.
Cole, the 2023 American League Cy Young Award winner, underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2025, missing the entirety of last season's campaign. Now, after an arduous road back and lengthy rehab assignment, Cole is set to take on the division-rival Rays in his 2026 pitching debut on Friday night at Yankee Stadium.
Cole is fresh off of touching 99.6 mph on the radar gun during his last rehab start for the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate, in which he threw 86 pitches over 5 2/3 innings. How many pitches will Cole throw in his 2026 debut? What will his velocity and stuff look like?
Follow along with us as we provide live updates on Cole's return, as well as a big game between the Yankees and Rays, the AL's two best teams.
Yankees-Rays live updates: Gerrit Cole's 2026 pitching debut
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Tim Capurso is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated, primarily covering MLB, college football and college basketball. Before joining SI in November 2023, Capurso worked at RotoBaller and ClutchPoints and is a graduate of Assumption University. When he's not working, he can be found at the gym, reading a book or enjoying a good hike. A resident of New York, Capurso openly wonders if the Giants will ever be a winning football team again.