Cole hits 99 mph
Yankees ace Gerrit Cole touched 99 mph in his spring debut — 372 days after Tommy John surgery — a major velocity milestone for his comeback (yardbarker.com). That outing is a key step toward Opening Day readiness as the Yankees track his recovery and bullpen ramp plan (yardbarker.com).
Cole underwent Tommy John surgery on March 11, 2025, a procedure performed in Los Angeles by Dr. Neal ElAttrache. (mlb.com) He threw 10 pitches in the outing, seven strikes, including six four‑seam fastballs that MLB tracked at an average of 97.1 mph and a top reading around 98.7 mph; he also mixed in two sliders and two knuckle‑curves. (sports.yahoo.com) Yankees officials and beat writers stressed the club will manage him cautiously — multiple reports list a target window of late May to June for a return to the regular rotation rather than an Opening Day spot. (cbssports.com) Cole described the outing as enjoyable but said he wasn’t thrilled with his command, a nuance the Yankees will use to shape his incremental ramp of innings and simulated work. (mlb.com) The appearance closed a gap from his last official outing in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series on Oct. 30, 2024, which is the most recent competitive baseline for his workload. (abcnews.com) Media velocity readouts varied slightly — some outlets reported a 99‑mph tick while team tracking and Bryan Hoch’s notes put the max at about 98.7 mph with a 97.1 mph average — a small spread teams commonly see on different measurement systems. (yardbarker.com)
