Yankees Ace Gerrit Cole Hits 96.9 mph Facing Hitters in Major Rehab Milestone
The latest Yankees update centers on Gerrit Cole, who threw against live hitters for the first time since Tommy John elbow surgery and reached 96. 9 mph in a roughly 20-pitch batting-practice session. The outing marks a clear step in a recovery track that the club still expects to place him back on the mound sometime between May and September.
Yankees live-hitters session: what happened
The session featured Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge and Jasson Domínguez as the hitters Cole faced in what amounted to a one-inning workout. Cole logged about 20 pitches and hit a velocity peak of 96. 9 mph, with a range that included readings near the mid-95s. This was his first session against hitters since undergoing elbow surgery the previous March; he had thrown his first bullpen roughly a week earlier.
Results in the session were incidental to the larger goal of testing arm strength and command. In the live sequences, one batter struck out, another fouled off pitches before hitting a ground ball, and another finished with a liner to right-center. Club officials continue to treat these outings as milestones rather than final clearance for competitive games.
Recovery timeline, mechanics and context
Cole’s rehab timeline remains framed by a 14-to-18-month recovery window he had targeted. The organization expects him to be ready at some point from May to September, a span that fits the stated recovery range. This progression follows surgery that came five days after his last spring training appearance; his last official outing before surgery was Game 5 of the 2024 World Series.
Mechanically, Cole has adjusted his delivery, now placing his hands over his head in the windup where previously he stopped at his chest. That change was visible during the live hitters session and is part of how the staff and player are measuring comfort and repeatability while rebuilding toward game readiness.
Immediate takeaways and what comes next
The session serves as a noteworthy checkpoint: a first live-hitters test since surgery, an early bullpen session the week prior, and velocity readings that approached previous levels. Members of the clubhouse observed the outing, and some team personnel commented on the quality of the work. Family attendance and a low-profile setting underscored how this was both a personal and professional milestone for the pitcher.
- Milestone: First live hitters session since Tommy John elbow surgery, peak 96. 9 mph.
- Workload: About 20 pitches of batting practice against three hitters.
- Timeline: Club expects readiness sometime between May and September, matching a 14–18 month recovery goal.
- Mechanics: Altered windup with hands over head versus previous chest stop.
While this outing is encouraging, the club and player remain on a measured path; more controlled sessions and progressive game-action steps will determine the exact timeline for a return. Recent progress indicates meaningful forward movement in his rehab, but details may continue to evolve as Cole advances through the remaining phases of his recovery.
For Yankees watchers, the key facts are the velocity spike, the live hitters test, and the maintained May-to-September target window. Each successive session will be evaluated against those benchmarks as the team charts the next steps of his comeback.
