Yankees ace Gerrit Cole to begin rehab assignment Tuesday at Double-A

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment Tuesday with Double-A Somerset.

The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner has been sidelined since spring training with a right elbow injury. There's no specific timetable yet for his return, but Cole has said it's possible he could be back in June.

The six-time All-Star started facing hitters in simulated games last month. He threw 43 pitches last Thursday at the team’s complex in Tampa, Florida.

Cole made one spring training start, on March 1, and the Yankees announced 10 days later the 33-year-old right-hander’s elbow was ailing. He was diagnosed with nerve inflammation and edema and told to rest.

He didn’t throw off a mound again until May 5, the first of five bullpen sessions leading up to his initial session against hitters.

It's expected Cole will make multiple minor league starts before rejoining the Yankees, who lost starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt to a right lat strain last week.

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