The New York Yankees took a huge hit this past season with the loss of Gerrit Cole, as he missed the entire season due to Tommy John surgery. Cole had the surgery in March and is on pace to return early in the 2026 season. In a recent social media post, he was seen throwing off the mound as he continues to work his way back.
Yankees Ace Is Making Steady Progress
Heading into the 2025 season, the Yankees were set to have one of the best rotations in all of baseball. After Cole went down, multiple other injuries absolutely crushed them, and suddenly, the rotation was the biggest weak point of the team. Going into 2026, the return of Cole could create an incredibly deep rotation. Cole posted a video on Saturday of him throwing off the mound in the Yankees bullpen, which is an extremely encouraging sign.
New York’s ace should be ready to return in the middle of May and will have plenty of time to get all of the rust off. His recovery has gone smoothly thus far, starting his throwing program in early August. He is expected to continue the program and then “de-load” in a couple of weeks to ensure that he’s responding well to the surgery.
Manager Aaron Boone said he’s hopeful that Cole faces live hitters in camp, and there will be more information about Cole’s recovery during the Winter Meetings in just over a month.
What Does the Rotation Look Like?
When Cole does return, he immediately slots back into the top of the Yankees’ rotation. Max Fried and Cam Schlittler will be among their top arms, with Carlos Rodon working his way back from a procedure he had on his left elbow that removed loose bodies and shaved down a bone spur.
Luis Gil likely becomes their fifth starter, showing how deep their rotation can be. Clarke Schmidt is also set to return in 2026, after undergoing Tommy John surgery in July, after being pulled in his start against the Blue Jays with forearm tightness. He will most likely be back sometime in August. This allows New York to set their sights on addressing other areas of the team like the bullpen, which cost them a ton of games last season.
The Yankees’ roster will look very different in 2026, with multiple key players hitting the open market this offseason. They could look to do what they did last year, trading some of their rotation depth to fill the holes that loom large.
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