Yankees expecting ‘Cy Young Gerrit Cole’ in long-awaited season debut that will be ‘tense’
Gerrit Cole is set to make his long-awaited season debut for the New York Yankees after recovering from Tommy John surgery. The game will take place at Yankee Stadium against the Tampa Bay Rays, who are currently leading the AL East. Cole's return is highly anticipated, with expectations for him to perform at a high level despite the long absence from the mound.
- ▪Gerrit Cole's first start back will be against the Rays, who have won 21 of their last 25 games.
- ▪Cole underwent surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in March 2025.
- ▪Yankees manager Aaron Boone expressed confidence in Cole's rehab process and readiness to perform.
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MLB New York Yankees Yankees expecting ‘Cy Young Gerrit Cole’ in long-awaited season debut that will be ‘tense’ By Greg Joyce Published May 22, 2026, 8:00 a.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The New York Post on Google There may be no such thing as easing back into big league action for the first time in nearly 19 months. Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free And no matter the opponent or setting, Gerrit Cole’s first start back from Tommy John surgery was always going to feel big.
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