Judge impressed with Cole after he faced live hitters: 'Stuff is still electric'
New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole faced live hitters Friday for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery and left team captain Aaron Judge impressed.
"His stuff is still electric," Judge said, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News. "That's the amazing thing after a grueling, long rehab. To see 97 (mph) already, so early in the process, means nothing but good things for us down the road, that's for sure."
Cole threw about 20 pitches during the session, which included him striking out Trent Grisham with a 95-mph fastball before Judge hit a grounder to second base.
Gerrit Cole fans Trent Grisham, his first batter of the day. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/OZhLDyJo4E
— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) February 20, 2026
Cole hasn't pitched in a big-league game since September 2024. Judge said the 35-year-old didn't show any signs of rust despite the long layoff.
"To me, it looked just like any other year where he's pumping 97 mph, he's working the corners, he's attacking the strike zone," Judge said. "It looked like the old (No.) 45 that I've seen for years.
"If you would have told me he just got off of Tommy John and this was his first time facing live hitters - you would have never known."
Cole, a six-time All-Star and 2023 AL Cy Young winner, is expected to rejoin the Yankees' rotation before the end of May.