New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole is set to make his season debut on Wednesday, ending a brief stint on the injured list due to an elbow injury. This highly anticipated matchup pits Cole, a six-time All-Star and two-time ERA champion, against the Baltimore Orioles as the two teams vie for supremacy in the AL East standings.
Cole’s injury was a rare setback for the seasoned pitcher, who has been a model of consistency throughout his 11-year MLB career. He typically makes at least 17 starts in each season, except for the shortened 2020 season due to the pandemic. He has also exceeded 181 innings in each of the six previous non-pandemic seasons, reaching the 200 innings mark in five of those seasons.
Despite missing out on several games early in the season, Cole managed to avoid Tommy John surgery and has been working his way back through rehab starts in preparation for his return to the Yankees’ starting rotation. His presence will be a significant boost for the team as they continue their pursuit of a division title and playoff success. In fact, last season, Cole had a dominant campaign, winning his first career Cy Young award with an AL-best 2.63 ERA, 0.981 WHIP, 222 strikeouts, and 48 walks in 209 innings pitched.
