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Inside The Pinstripes

What Yankees Should Expect From Gerrit Cole's Return

The New York Yankees revealed when star pitcher Gerrit Cole would be returning to the mound.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Mar 6, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA;New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) pauses before taking the mound against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Dave Nelson-Imagn Images
Mar 6, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA;New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) pauses before taking the mound against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Dave Nelson-Imagn Images | Dave Nelson-Imagn Images

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New York Yankees

It's been far too long since the New York Yankees have been able to put out a lineup card with Gerrit Cole's name on it.

Come March 18, that will no longer be the case. Joel Sherman revealed the Yankees are letting Cole pitch one inning against the Boston Red Sox in the final week of Spring Training.

Cole has long talked about making an appearance this spring, and the team has finally let him have his way. Obviously they're being extremely safe and cautious, and there's a chance he doesn't even go a full inning depending on how things turn out.

Regardless, this is a huge step in the right direction. New York knew he wasn't going to be out for much longer, but to see him make an apperance in Tampa is exactly what this starting rotation needed.

Cole Will be Limited to Just One Inning

The Yankees haven't revealed what sort of pitch count Cole will be on, but Sherman pointed out that one inning is the maximum he'll be allotted. Even if it's a one, two, three inning in three pitches, Yankees fans must go in with minimal expectations.

Seeing him return to the mount is extremely exciting, no doubt, but one wrong move against the Red Sox and all the hard work he's been putting in could be for nothing. Manager Aaron Boone still expects a May or June return. Yankees fans have waited this long already, 53 weeks to be exact, so what's a few more months.

Getting Back Out There is All That Matters

Cole could walk a pair of batters and give up three hits in 15 pitches, but letting him see live action is what this is all about. As long as Yankees fans go into this game with the right mindset, everyone will come out okay.

This game just happens to be against the team's greatest rival, the Boston Red Sox which makes it so much more poetic. Cole and the Yankees would love a win, no doubt, but at the end of the day his results from this outing aren't going to determine where he slots into their rotation.

This news should have the likes of Luis Gil and Ryan Weathers on the edge of their seat. It's only a matter of time before Cole returns to the starting rotation, and when he does one of those two names is on the hot seat as neither has had a great showing in Spring Training.

To learn more about the Yankees from Spring Training and beyond, subscribe to All Yankees Talk, where new episodes are featured twice a week!

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz is a writer for On SI, part of the Sports Illustrated Network. Jordon is an accomplished writer for NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He contributes to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.

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