Gerrit Cole making progress but still no timetable for return

Cole opened the season on the 60-day injured list after feeling elbow discomfort in spring training. He returned to throwing on April 9 and threw 75-feet while playing catch on Tuesday, according to Brian Hoch. 

Given the rash of season-ending injuries to high-profile starting pitchers early this season, Yankee fans should simply be happy Cole's rehab is progressing without setbacks. But after losing a series for the first time this season in Toronto, it is clear New York misses Cole's presence in the rotation. 

Luis Gil and Carlos Rodon combined for nine innings, six earned runs and an alarming eleven walks in the series against the Blue Jays. As a rotation, Yankees starters are tied with the Miami Marlins for the third-most walks surrendered in 2024 (45) despite ranking twelfth in innings pitched. 

The Yankees bullpen has picked up some of the slack, posting a 2.50 ERA in 61 1/3 innings. But it is playing with fire, allowing lots of contact and struggling to strike out hitters. With the loss of reliever Jonathan Loaisiga, manager Aaron Boone has depended on pitchers like Luke Weaver, Caleb Ferguson and Dennis Santana to over perform. 

The return of Cole should help address both of these issues. 

Cole is a strike thrower, with a 5.8 percent walk rate that was good for the 87th percentile in 2023 according to Baseball Savant. He also consistently helped rest the bullpen on days he started, averaging 6 1/3 innings per start and throwing two complete-game shutouts. 

But general manager Brian Cashman should still look to pick up another starting pitcher at some point this season, even with Cole on the mend.

Yankee starters have gone more than five innings just five times this season, with two of those games coming from Marcus Stroman and another from Cody Poteet in a spot-start. While starting pitchers don't routinely pitch deep into games anymore, New York simply doesn't have a good enough bullpen to lean on four of every five games once Cole comes back. 

If the Yankees are going to seriously contend for the World Series, the starting pitching must improve.