Yankees ace Gerrit Cole faces hitters for 1st time since elbow surgery and throws 96.9 mph

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Gerrit Cole reached 96.9 mph in his first session against hitters since the New York Yankees ace underwent Tommy John elbow surgery last March.

The right-hander threw about 20 pitches of batting practice Friday, facing Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge and Jasson Dominguez at the Yankees' spring training facility. He threw his first bullpen session a week earlier.

New York expects Cole to be ready at some point from May to September, which would fit the recovery range of 14 to 18 months that the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner has said was the target all along.

“It sounds like it was really good,” manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees’ exhibition opener against the Baltimore Orioles in Sarasota.

The 35-year-old Cole has altered his windup, putting his hands over his head. Before he was hurt, he stopped at his chest.

Cole's last official outing was in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series that Oct. 30. He pitched in two spring training games in 2025, the last on March 6. Surgery was five days later.

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