NEW YORK — Gerrit Cole pitches every night before going to bed. He closes his eyes and pictures being on the mound at Yankee Stadium because visualizing is all he’ll be able to do until 2026, at the earliest, as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. In his dreams, Cole is still one of the game’s premier pitchers.
“I haven’t given up any hits recently,” the New York Yankees right-hander said with a smile.
Cole spoke with reporters inside the Yankees’ clubhouse on Monday. It was the first time he had spoken to members of the media since tearing his ulnar collateral ligament in March and ending his 2025 season. After learning he needed surgery to repair his elbow, Cole called those first few days “really dark.” What has raised his spirits since then is looking forward to reaching milestones: getting out of the cast he wore for the first two weeks, removing a metal brace that surrounded his arm, being able to touch his shoulder, and extending his arm fully. Pitching at the highest level is all Cole has known for the past 12 years, so this year has already required a major adjustment.
His recovery from Tommy John has been made easier by spending significantly more time at home with his wife, Amy, and their two sons, Caden and Everett. He’s been able to drop them…
