New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Gerrit Cole was back on the mound for the New York Yankees on Friday night, making his 2026 debut and his first appearance since the 2024 World Series. He delivered pretty much exactly what the Yankees needed and hoped to see from their ace.
The rest of the team simply wasted the outing in a 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Gerrit Cole gives Yankees six strong innings
Cole missed the entire 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John Surgery, removing a core player from their rotation.
He returned on Friday and threw six shutout innings, allowing just two hits, walking three and striking out two.
The Yankees limited him to just 72 pitches.
While the strikeout numbers were not there, it is to be expected that it is going to be a process in getting him back to 100% health and effectiveness. Going 14 months between starts in the Major Leagues, with a major surgery in the middle of that, is a long time, and it’s going to take some work to regain top form.
The fact that he was able to go six shutout innings with an efficient pitch count is what matters most for the Yankees.
They were already one of the top teams in the American League this season without him, and now they are getting a legitimate frontline starter for the rest of the season back into their rotation.
The problem for the Yankees on Friday was the fact that reliever Tim Hill did not record a single out and was on the hook for all four runs against in the eighth inning, while the lineup was unable to generate much offense.
All of that, however, is secondary to Cole’s return and promising debut. If he gives them more starts like that, they will win the majority of them.
