Gerrit Cole to make one-inning game return for Yankees as rehab next step

Gerrit Cole is scheduled to throw one inning Wednesday against the Red Sox, his first game action since undergoing Tommy John surgery on March 11, 2025. He said the outing does not change his 14-to-18 month timetable to return to a regular-season mound.

Gerrit Cole is scheduled to make a one-inning start Wednesday against the Red Sox in Tampa, his first game appearance since Tommy John surgery on March 11, 2025. The outing comes 53 weeks after the procedure and about one week before the Yankees’ Opening Day. Cole said he expects to throw one inning and that the appearance does not alter his 14-to-18 month timetable to return to a regular-season mound. He described the game as a step that lets him compete in a less controlled setting after his rehab work. Key details: - Cole is set to throw one inning in a game Wednesday versus the Red Sox. - The start will occur 53 weeks after his March 11, 2025 Tommy John surgery. - The outing is scheduled roughly one week before Opening Day. - Cole said the appearance does not change a 14-to-18 month return timetable and reflects continued rehab progress. Summary: The planned one-inning appearance is presented as the next stage of Cole’s rehabilitation and a sign of his readiness to face game conditions again. Opening Day is about a week away, and Cole’s broader timeline for returning to a regular-season mound remains 14-to-18 months.