WAPPINGERS FALLS – Gerrit Cole is one step closer to returning to the Bronx. A major step in the journey for the New York Yankees’ ace was taking the mound at Heritage Financial Park for the Hudson Valley Renegades on Thursday night.
The 35-year-old pitcher and 2023 Cy Young Award winner is coming off a Tommy John surgery that forced him to miss the entire 2025 season. In his start with the Renegades, he finished with mixed results.
Cole was pulled after 4 1/3 innings of action, allowing five hits and two earned runs while striking out four and walking one. He gave up a solo home run to the Brooklyn Cyclones’ Corey Collins on a changeup.
“It’s feeling good. It’s responding well to all the new stimulants and we’ll just keep plugging away.” He said about the health of his arm with being on the backend of his rehab assignments and his return to the big league club imminent.
Placed on the 15-day injured list on March 25, this was Cole’s second appearance since officially beginning his rehab assignment. The six-time all-star’s first appearance was on April 17, where he tossed 4.1 innings for the Somerset Patriots. He allowed three hits and three earned runs in the start, striking out three and walking one. He allowed a home run to Reading’s Bryson Ware, an eighth-round pick of the Phillies in 2023.
More than just pitching, coming to High-A Hudson Valley gave Cole an opportunity to provide wisdom and advice to some of the future stars of the Yankees’ organization. With the Renegades being a hot-bed for newly drafted and highly-ranked prospects early in their respective careers, Cole’s presence and knowledge can provide a valuable resource for the current crop of Renegades.
“The biggest thing I could do is go about my business the way I usually go about my business,” he said. “They’re always watching so the biggest way is to just go about my business.”
Cole last pitched in 2024, finishing with an 8-5 record and a 3.41 ERA. He tallied 99 strikeouts and 29 walks in 17 starts and just under 100 innings pitched. Excluding the shortened 2020 season, it was the first time Cole had made less than 30 starts in a season since 2016.
With age now becoming a potential concern after his major arm surgery, Cole is looking to stay healthy and provide whatever he can when he returns to the Yankees’ rotation.
“Just not drop the ball,” Cole said with a laugh. “They’re performing at the top of the entire league… it’s just about getting back and pitching as well as those guys.”
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Gerrit Cole makes rehab start with Renegades as Yankees return nears
Reporting by Eric Decker, Poughkeepsie Journal / Poughkeepsie Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
