AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole is scheduled to return to the New York Yankees’ rotation on Wednesday night to make his season debut against the Baltimore Orioles.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone made the announcement on Monday on the “Talkin’ Yanks” podcast.
Cole, a 33-year-old right-hander, completed three minor league rehabilitation drills after returning from neuritis and edema in his right elbow.
He threw 45 pitches in his first start on June 4 and 57 in his second on June 9, both times at Double-A Somerset. He threw 70 pitches Friday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, recording 10 strikeouts while allowing two hits and one unearned run in 4 1/3 innings.
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In three minor league rehab appearances, Cole managed 19 strikeouts and no walks in 12 1/3 innings.
He made his only start in spring training on March 1, after which he was told to rest. He began throwing bullpen sessions on May 4.
Cole won the AL Cy Young Award unanimously last year after going 15-4 with 222 strikeouts while leading the AL in ERA (2.63) and innings pitched (209).
Cole, a six-time All-Star, is in the fifth season of a nine-year, $324 million contract that pays him $36 million annually. He has the right to opt out after the season and become a free agent, but if he opts out, the Yankees can waive the opt-out option by adding a guaranteed salary of $36 million for 2029.
