Ryan Garcia
When news broke that the New York Yankees were getting former Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole back for their series against the Tampa Bay Rays, it made sense to temper expectations.
Carlos Rodon had shaky command in his first two starts following elbow surgery, and that was a less invasive procedure than the full UCL reconstruction surgery that Cole received.
Furthermore, when Cole returned from his elbow injury in 2024, he was awful in his first few starts and looked incredibly rusty.
The pitcher we’re seeing in 2026 is very different from the unpolished post-operation starters that you usually see, and from what he’s displayed to this point, he might be a frontline starter again.
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The Old Dog Is Showing Off a Plethora of New Tricks
Gerrit Cole is noticably different from the pitcher we saw in 2024, as the right-hander has made some alterations to his mechanics and repertoire that have made him look dominant.
His arm angle has dropped from 43° to 37° and his release height has dropped from 6 feet to 5.8 feet, changes which have helped him get around the ball more compared to previous seasons.
It’s most notable with his changeup, a pitch that has become a real weapon for Cole as he’s added three more inches of drop and over two inches of run on it compared to 2024.
Batters are hitting .167 with a 30.8% Whiff% againt it in the limited action we’ve seen from the 2023 Cy Young winner, but this pitch could be a game-changer for him since it adds an entirely new wrinkle to his arsenal.
He’s also improved his sinker and is leaning on that pitch more, culminating in a true five-pitch mix with every offering having its own distinct movement profile that can keep hitters off of their rhythm.
The feel for his slider in this start was also very impressive, it had felt as if Cole was unable to reliably execute his sliders down-and-away during his 2023 or 2024 seasons which reflected in declining whiff rates on that pitch.
We don’t have enough of a sample size to conclude his command will hold up, but if he has that pitch back he should be in a really good spot against both lefties and righties.
He could consistently spot the fastball to set-up that nasty breaking ball, which was his bread-and-butter combination for years with the Astros and Yankees.
Gerrit Cole’s fastball isn’t as dominant as it was when he first inked the record-setting $324 million contract, but he makes up for it with the aforementioned depth of repertoire that he’s built up as a veteran.
Is It Too Soon To Say the Yankees Have Another Ace?
Gerrit Cole was more of a number two starter during the 2024 season, but I’d argue that in 2026 I think he’s going to be an ace again.
My biggest concern was that his velocity, which had been in decline from 2022 to 2024, would continue slipping due to older age and a Tommy John Surgery.
That has not occurred; he regained a little bit of velocity and is sitting around 96 MPH on his four-seamer which is all he needs to dominate the league.
The shape of his sinker and changeup are incredibly encouraging, and if the command remains above-average as it has throughout his career, this is someone who should rack up strikeouts and limit damage contact.
Alongside Cam Schlittler and a hopefully-healthy Max Fried, these three could form the most fearsome trio in the entire league, even outdoing the Los Angeles Dodgers’ super rotation depending on who you talk to.
I am genuinely buzzing about the potential that Gerrit Cole has to energize an already-excellent rotation, this is the exact kind of profile that this team needs as well with a pitcher who pounds the zone.
In both of his two starts so far he could have completed seven or eight innings, but obviously the team is shielding Cole from himself and trying to build him up responsibly.
We’re in dangerous territory with the excitement surrounding this rotation, they’re truly one of the most talented groups in MLB and they have a top-half that could slice through the American League in October.
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