Cole’s return to the mound marked his first game action in more than 13 months, since Tommy John surgery. He worked 4 1/3 innings and threw 44 pitches in his first rehab start, stepping toward a possible return to the Yankees’ major league rotation in the coming weeks.
The former Cy Young Award winner has not pitched in the majors since the 2024 World Series. Friday’s outing was designed to gauge his form as he rebuilds his competitiveness and innings, with the next steps likely slow and carefully timed by New York.
Cole showed promise early, being efficient in the first inning and dominant in the fourth, but he wavered in the second inning, issuing a walk that opened the door for a two-run homer. Overall, he totaled three strikeouts, three hits allowed, one walk, and three earned runs.
After Cole’s outing, McMahon provided the offense for the Yankees with a two-out, opposite-field shot off the left-center wall to push the lead to 4-2. Boone later lauded his team’s resilience, noting that “this game will bring you to your knees,” but the good players find a way to respond—and McMahon did just that.
Bednar then closed out the win in the ninth for his sixth save of the season, as New York held on to snap a late rally attempt by Kansas City. The Yankees also indicated they are not rushing Cole’s timeline, remaining hopeful about his return within a few weeks.
In short, New York took care of business in the moment while also advancing a major storyline into the next phase of Gerrit Cole’s comeback, underscoring a cautious but forward-looking path toward a full rotation return.
