"TAMPA, Fla. - When Gerrit Cole took the mound at 11 a.m. Friday to face hitters for the first time since March 6 of last year, Steinbrenner Field was virtually empty, aside from a handful of reporters, a few team officials and three personal VIPs seated behind the Yankees' on-deck circle: his wife, Amy, and two young sons, Caden and Everett."
"This was a red-letter date in Cole's comeback from Tommy John surgery, the shocking diagnosis that sent the Yankees' universe reeling only a few weeks shy of Opening Day in 2025. And Cole aced this latest test, dazzling the teammates who stayed behind from that day's Grapefruit League opener in Sarasota by rifling fastballs that peaked at 96.9 mph, as shown by the centerfield video board."
"Cole went up against Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge and Jasson Dominguez during what amounted to a one-inning workout targeted for roughly 20 pitches. Maybe because Judge was in the middle, he encountered some of the highest velocity, with Cole's fastball ranging from 95.2 mph to the 96.9 max. Or maybe the sight of the Yankees' captain and three-time MVP sparked some of that simmering competitive fire in Cole, who couldn't help but shift to another gear for the showdown."
Gerrit Cole took the mound at 11 a.m. Friday to face hitters for the first time since March 6 of last year at Steinbrenner Field, with his wife Amy and sons Caden and Everett present. The session marked a milestone in his comeback from Tommy John surgery that threatened his 2025 season. Cole dazzled teammates by rifling fastballs that peaked at 96.9 mph during a one-inning, roughly 20-pitch workout against Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge and Jasson Dominguez. Cole used a newly adopted overhead delivery and appeared to tap near-previous velocity, though more hurdles remain before a targeted May return.
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