Former UCLA Bruin and current New York Yankees star Gerrit Cole pitched his third minor league rehab start on Wednesday, pitching for the Double-A Somerset Patriots. Cole pitched 4.1 innings and allowed three earned runs, striking out three.
Cole’s first two rehab starts were at the High-A level with the Hudson Valley Renegades, where he posted a 2.08 earned run average in another 4.1 innings. The Yankees and Cole plan to slow-play his return after missing the entire 2025 season.
Following his start on Wednesday, Cole spoke postgame about his journey back.
“Even though it’s one start, it’s five days of process that you got to execute,” Cole said. “I’m confident I’m going to execute these things really, really well but the reality is, it’s been awhile since I’ve done them. It may seem like the same thing over and over again but that’s the point.”
The 2024 World Series was when we last saw Cole in game action. During spring training of last year, Cole was experiencing elbow discomfort, leading to Cole eventually undergoing Tommy John surgery.
“We don’t have time up there (MLB) to push in an extra day,” Cole said. “You got to go, and you got to perform. I want to get there but I just have to build such a big base in order to get up there and get in a flow.”
Cole was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft after playing three seasons with the Bruins. Since then, he’s gone on to be a six-time All-Star and winner of the 2023 American League Cy Young award.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Former No. 1 pick Gerrit Cole speaks on return from Tommy John surgery
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
