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The Yankees will start the 2026 season without Gerrit Cole.
The New York Yankees picked up a 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night at Yankee Stadium. Ryan McMahon delivered the decisive blow, a two-run homer in the eighth inning that broke a tie and sent New York ahead for good.
The win mattered. So did what happened 30 miles away in Bridgewater, New Jersey.
While the Yankees were grinding out a result in The Bronx, Gerrit Cole was taking the mound for the first time in over 13 months.
Cole’s Long Road Back
Cole made his first rehab start with Double-A Somerset on Friday night, pitching 4 1/3 innings and throwing 44 pitches in his return from Tommy John surgery.
Cole won the AL Cy Young in 2023. His last MLB appearance came in the 2024 World Series, over 13 months before Friday night. Friday marked a significant step toward bringing him back to the Yankees rotation.
Cole was sharp in the first inning and dominant in the fourth, needing just four pitches to retire the side. He finished with three strikeouts, three hits allowed, one walk, and three runs given up.
The Yankees are not rushing the timeline. His return to the major league rotation is still several weeks away at minimum.
Cole’s Assessment of the Start
Cole was candid about the start afterward.
“I have a lot of a confidence, but tonight is not that exact same guy. But hopefully it’s on its way,” Cole said.
Cole showed a bit of rust in the second inning. He issued a walk which opened the door for a two-run homer. Everything else held up. For a first outing after 13 months away, the foundation was there.
“I didn’t come out quite so sharp that inning so that was a good challenge,” Cole said. “That was really the only time the command was a little shaky. The walk was a bad walk.”
GettyTORONTO, CANADA – SEPTEMBER 27: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees pitches in the ninth inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 27, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
McMahon Delivers for the Yankees
Back at Yankee Stadium, the win almost got away from them.
With two outs and Ben Rice on first, Ryan McMahon drove a two-run homer to the opposite field to put New York ahead 4-2. David Bednar closed it out in the ninth for his sixth save of the season.
“It’s no secret I’ve been struggling a little bit,” McMahon said. “This game is super humbling. All you can do is keep working.”
Aaron Boone put it simply when asked about his struggling third baseman finding a moment like that.
“This game will bring you to your knees,” Boone said. “The good ones handle it.”
McMahon handled it.
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 17: Ryan McMahon #19 of the New York Yankees watches his eighth inning two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium on April 17, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)
Final Word for the Yankees
The Yankees found a way to win Friday. McMahon delivered. Bednar slammed the door.
Cole’s start at TD Bank Ballpark was another headline. The command will sharpen. The movement will return. He said so himself. But it was another milestone in what has been a long road back.
New York is eagerly awaiting his return.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins
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