Gerrit Cole Changed The Narrative Surrounding Yankees in Spring Training

The New York Yankees closed out the spring with a little bit of hope. That came in the form of their ace, Gerrit Cole, taking the mound in the final spring game of the year.

It wasn't just the fact that Cole was healthy enough to be pitching. It was the results and how he looked that may have changed the perception of what this season could look like. The return of Cole was always in the cards, but the big question is what he would look like. Cole will be entering his age-35 season, fresh off Tommy John surgery rehab after missing an entire season.

Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) reacts to a catch at the wall during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game five of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Yet, in these few innings in the spring, the Yankees witnessed glimpses of the Cole of old. That was especially the case in his tune-up against the Chicago Cubs.

Despite giving up a home run to Alex Bregman, who was non-existent in the World Baseball Classic for Team USA, Cole struck out the side in the first. One after the other, Cole took down the top of Chicago's order in Pete Crow-Armstrong, Michael Bush, and Ian Happ. All three of them went down against Cole's heater, too, which ranged from 96 to 98 MPH on the day.

The strikeout against Happ may have been the most important. It came right after the Bregman homer. For a pitcher who has been on the shelf for more than a year and hasn't seen game action since the World Series in 2024, that one blemish could have easily compounded on itself. Cole, the master of his craft, didn't allow that to happen.

Optimism for a Healthy Cole

Cole was always going to be an X-factor, but the fact that he looks strong so early in the season should help quell any uneasiness about the rotation coming into the season. Cole is around the 26-pitch mark at this point, but it feels like the Yankees will get their ace on the mound sooner rather than later.

While the Yankees have not given a timetable on his return, it doesn't feel out of the realm of possibility that he will be back by the end of April or early May. If that's the case, what does he look like by the All-Star break? More importantly, how sharp is he by October?

When the Yankees signed Max Fried, they dreamed of having one of the best 1-2 punches in the sport. That plan was put on hold once Cole went down. Now, the organization can start fantasizing about that duo again, especially if their ace looks as good physically as he has this month.

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