Yankees fans, mark your calendars! The most anticipated rehab assignment in baseball is heading to Northeast Pennsylvania this weekend.
Gerrit Cole, the reigning 2023 American League Cy Young Award winner and New York Yankees ace, is set to take the mound for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. against the Syracuse Mets at PNC Field in Moosic. It's a prime opportunity for local fans to see one of the game's elite pitchers up close as he continues his long road back to the Bronx.
Cole's journey back from reconstructive elbow surgery last March has been a carefully managed, step-by-step process. He's already logged five rehab starts—three with Double-A Somerset and two with High Single-A Hudson Valley. Over 23.2 innings, he's allowed 15 runs and 22 hits while showcasing his trademark control, striking out 22 batters and issuing just two walks.
Perhaps most encouraging is the steady climb in his pitch count. After throwing just 44 pitches in his first outing on April 17, Cole has progressively built up his arm strength: 52 pitches on April 23, 60 on April 29, and 69 on May 5. His most recent start on Sunday for Somerset against Reading was his sharpest yet, as he fired 77 pitches (51 strikes) over five innings, surrendering three runs (two earned) on four hits with one walk and eight strikeouts.
Expect him to push closer to 80 pitches on Saturday. Yankees manager Aaron Boone has hinted that Cole likely needs just one or two more rehab outings before rejoining the big-league rotation.
It's been a long wait for Cole, who hasn't pitched in the majors since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium on October 30, 2024. He missed the entire 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, making this comeback all the more significant for a Yankees team hungry for his presence atop the rotation.
Over 12 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, and Yankees, Cole has compiled a stellar 153-80 record with a 3.18 ERA. In 317 career starts and 1,954 innings, he's racked up 2,251 strikeouts. He's also the third-fastest pitcher in MLB history to reach 2,000 strikeouts, achieving the milestone in just 278 games—trailing only legends Randy Johnson (262 games) and Clayton Kershaw (277 games).
Whether you're a die-hard Yankees fan or just love watching greatness on the mound, Saturday at PNC Field is a can't-miss chance to see a future Hall of Famer in action. Grab your favorite Yankees gear and head out to Moosic—this is baseball history in the making.