Nov 3, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Detailed view of the 2025 World Series Commissioners Trophy during the World Series celebration at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
To bookend the week in the same vein as Monday’s Purple Row After Dark question, I have another one for you. Many folks have complained that last weekend’s Super Bowl was one of the most boring Super Bowls in recent memory, even though the final score was 29-13.
Baseball-wise, though, we had a great World Series this year (minus the champion). The Dodgers cakewalked through the National League, despite having a “down year” but then were taken to seven games by the Toronto Blue Jays, who had some stiff competition in the American League and nearly won the whole thing. Last year, the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in five games after an exciting run-up that almost saw them get bounced by the San Diego Padres.
So the question tonight is this: would you rather watch boring playoffs but exciting World Series, or exciting playoffs but a boring World Series?
Nets rookie Egor Demin showed what he could do for Team Vince en route to winning the 2026 Rising Stars Championship on Friday night in Los Angeles.
For Demin and Team Vince -- coached by Nets legend Vince Carter -- the tournament began with a 41-36 win over Team T-Mac (the target score was 40). In the game, Demin scored just two points on 1 of 3 shooting, but came down with two rebounds, dished two assists and came up with one steal in his nine minutes of play.
Team Vince advanced thanks to the heroics of Phillies rookie VJ Edgecombe, who scored 17 points. Edgecombe scored 10 straight, including the game-winner, to help the team get to the finals against Team Melo.
In the Finals, Demin didn't factor too much down the stretch. He scored a quick bucket, going 1-for-2 with two rebounds and a block in four minutes of play but it was Edgecombe again with the heroics. In a back-and-forth game, the Sixers guard won the game for Team Vince. Down 24-23 (target score was 25 points), Edgecombe drove to the basket and was fouled by Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan. Edgecombe knocked down both free throws to win the game.
Feb 13, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Team T-Mac guard Jaylon Tyson (20) of the Cleveland Cavaliers controls the ball against Team Vince guard Egor Demin (8) of the Brooklyn Nets during an NBA All Star Rising Stars game at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Cleveland Cavaliers wing Jaylon Tyson had a strong showing in the Rising Stars game on Friday evening. He led Team T-Mac in points (10) and rebounds (5) in their loss to Team Vince.
The format for this competition is a mini-tournament. The two teams played a game to 40 points, with the winner advancing to the final. Since Tyson’s team lost, his night was over after one mini-game.
Tyson performed well. He kept his team in the game with timely scoring and rebounding. He also provided some resistance on the defensive end, which is about as much as you can ask for in this All-Star game setting. It was a solid outing for the second-year Cavalier.
His highlights of the night were a nice alley-oop to Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware and a smooth Euro-step to keep his team within striking distance down the stretch.
Donovan Mitchell was there to support his teammate with a front-row seat. He called for the MVP award for Tyson before the game even started, and cheered for him every opportunity he had from courtside.
Tyson’s team didn’t have an answer for Philadelphia 76ers rookie V.J. Edgecombe. He provided a game-high 17 points on 6-8 shooting to help lead Team Vince to the victory.
Team Vince went on to defeat Team Melo in the final game of the Rising Stars mini-tournament.
Mitchell is the lone representative for the Cavs for the remainder of NBA All-Star Weekend. He’ll be participating in the 3-Point Contest on Saturday and will be on one of the two US teams in the All-Star Game on Sunday.
PHOENIX — Right-hander Zac Gallen has agreed to a one-year, $22 million contract to return to the Arizona Diamondbacks, a person with knowledge of the deal confirmed Friday night.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal is pending a physical.
The 2023 All-Star — who is a client of agent Scott Boras — was hunting for a multi-year contract, but after nothing acceptable materialized, he’s coming back to the desert where he’s spent the majority of his big league’s career.
MLB.com first reported that Gallen and the D-backs were close to a deal.
Gallen had his worst season in the big leagues in 2025, finishing with a 13-15 record, 4.83 record and an 8.2 strikeout rate per nine innings, which was the lowest of his career. But his velocity was still good and he performed better after the All-Star break with a 3.97 ERA over his final 13 starts.
The 30-year-old was one of the best pitchers in the National League from 2022 to 2024, finishing fifth in the Cy Young voting in 2022 and third in 2023.
He was the ace for the D-backs in 2023 — finishing with a 17-9 record and 3.47 ERA — when they made a surprise run to the World Series before losing in five games to the Texas Rangers.
Gallen was drafted in the third round of the 2016 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals after playing in college at North Carolina. He was traded to the Marlins in 2017 and made his big-league debut with the organization in 2019 before being traded again to the D-backs in a deal that sent Jazz Chisholm Jr. to Miami.
Overall, Gallen has a 66-52 record and 3.58 ERA in seven MLB seasons.
INGLEWOOD, CA - JANUARY 19: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and James Harden #1 of the LA Clippers during the game against the LA Clippers on January 19, 2025 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
On Friday, ESPN’s Tim McMahon said on NBA Today that there’s “rampant speculation” around the league that James will sign with Cleveland for a potential retirement tour this summer.
Tim MacMahon on LeBron James:
There is rampant speculation around the league that this summer there's going to be a reunion and potentially a retirement tour for the ages back home again with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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At this point, it feels like LeBron will be returning home to Cleveland unless he retires after this season. What that would look like from a salary perspective remains to be seen.
The Cavs are currently over the second apron. They would not have access to the full mid-level exception unless they got under both aprons and then cut additional salary to carve out a spot for that exception. There’s also the possibility of a sign-and-trade if the Cavs get below the first apron. Or, James could opt to sign for a minimum contract.
It’s pointless to speculate too much on the finances at this point. There’s numerous scenarios for making this work from a cap perspective. If both sides want James to play in Cleveland, they’ll find a way to make it happen as they did back in 2014.
Even though LeBron is 41 years old, he’s still playing at an exceptionally high level. He recorded a triple-double in his last outing in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ win over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. On the season, James is averaging 22 points, 7.1 assists, and 5.8 rebounds on .502/.305/.746 shooting splits in a mostly supporting role alongside Luka Doncic.
We’ll see how this plays out. In the meantime, we can rest assured that there’s going to be plenty more rumors about James returning to Cleveland between now and July.
LaVine, who turns 31 in March, is the Kings’ leading scorer, averaging 19.2 points per game on 47.9 percent shooting and 39 percent from 3-point land.
The oft-injured scorer was limited to just 39 games this season before being shut down with his upcoming surgery.
Zach LaVine of the Sacramento Kings looks on during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on January 29, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NBAE via Getty Images
Coming off one of the best seasons of his career, having averaged 23.3 points per game on career-bests 44.9 percent from three and 51.1 percent overall, LaVine’s game took a step back this year.
LaVine ends the 2025-26 season having averaged his fewest points per game since his fourth year in the league in 2017-18.
His -8.0 plus-minus was also the worst of his career.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Brunson and Allan Houston are forming a Knicks team at an All-Star Weekend event.
The Knicks won’t have any participants in either the Slam Dunk Contest or the 3-point shooting competition Saturday night at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, but the organization will be represented in an event that is returning to the NBA showcase after a 10-year absence.
The Shooting Stars is back for the first time since 2015, and a Knicks squad featuring current All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns will be joined by team executive and former All-Star Allan Houston among four teams competing in the returning event Saturday night at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.
First introduced in 2004, the Shooting Stars features the three players on each team attempting shots of different difficulty and point levels at seven locations from around the court.
The top two of the four teams will advance beyond the opening round and square off in the championship round.
Each team will consist of two current NBA players and one league “legend,” with this year’s groups representing a specific NBA team (the Knicks), as well as All-Star connections, college affiliations and one with family ties.
Jalen Brunson attempts a shot during the Knicks’ Feb. 10 game against the Pacers. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
Interestingly, Houston also was part of the previous all-New York squad to win this competition, with then-Knicks guard Landry Fields and Cappie Pondexter of the Liberty in 2012.
In addition to the Brunson/Towns/Houston trio, wing Scottie Barnes of the Raptors will join forces with Chet Holmgren of the Thunder and Pistons great Richard Hamilton on Team All-Star.
The others will be Team Cameron with former Duke players Jalen Johnson (Hawks), Kon Knueppel (Hornets) and Corey Maggette and Team Harper featuring Dylan Harper (Spurs) and Ron Harper Jr. (Celtics) with their father, Ron Harper Sr.
Saturday’s other events include the annual Slam Dunk Contest, although Mac McClung will not be taking part after winning the event each of the previous three years.
Allan Houston is pictured Dec. 12. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
This year’s competitors will include Carter Bryant of the Spurs, Jaxson Hayes of the Lakers, Keshad Johnson of the Heat and Jase Richardson of the Magic.
Brunson had participated in the 3-point contest in each of the previous two years, getting knocked out in the first round both times, but the All-Star starter will not be in the eight-player field this weekend.
Karl-Anthony Towns reacts during the Knicks’ Feb. 1 game. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
The eight contestants will be Devin Booker (Suns), Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers), Knueppel (Hornets), Tyrese Maxey (76ers), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), Jamal Murray (Nuggets), Norman Powell (Heat) and Bobby Portis (Bucks).
Lillard, a two-time winner in 2023 and 2024, has not played this season for Portland after suffering a torn Achilles in the playoffs last spring with the Bucks. Tyler Herro of the Heat took the trophy one year ago.
The All-Star Game on Sunday also will come with a new format, with the players split into three teams: two rosters of American players and one “World” team.
Towns was born in New Jersey, but he will play for the World squad because he represents the Dominican Republic in international play.
Egor Dëmin dunks the ball during the Nets’ Feb. 7 game against the Wizards. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
The Nets were represented Friday night in the Rising Stars tournament by rookie lottery pick Egor Dëmin, the first of their record five first-round picks at No. 8 overall.
The 6-foot-8 Dëmin, who is averaging 10.8 points and 3.3 assists in 46 games (39 starts) for Brooklyn, scored four points in 12:28 over two games for Vince Carter’s team, which defeated Carmelo Anthony’s squad, 25-24, in the championship game.
But Brian Cashman “didn’t think that was right to do,” he acknowledged over the winter, because there was still a role for the outfielder to play off the bench in a playoff chase.
Now the Yankees are entering a spring in which they have another crowded outfield, with even more dollars committed to Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger, and Domínguez on the outside looking in.
Might the new year and new situation change the equation for whether Domínguez will be optioned to Triple-A once camp breaks?
“If everything stays the same, we’ll be forced to determine what’s our best course of action to help this team be impactful,” Cashman said Friday from Steinbrenner Field.
“I would concede it’s in his best interest to be getting everyday reps.”
Jasson Domínguez hits a ground-rule double during the Yankees’ Aug. 27 game. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
Realistically, barring injuries, the only place for that to happen would appear to be at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Domínguez just turned 23 and the Yankees, through some of his growing pains last year, often pointed to the fact that he did not play a whole lot during his rise through the minors because of injuries and having a season wiped out by COVID.
So there is value in giving him a chance to go play every day in the minor leagues, even after spending all of last season in The Bronx and providing some production in 429 plate appearances.
That case is only bolstered by the fact that there is not a clear lane for Domínguez to play off the bench, other than pinch-running.
He is a switch-hitter who is stronger from the left side, but Grisham and Bellinger also hit left-handed.
The last spot on the Yankees’ bench — especially after they re-signed Paul Goldschmidt — may be better used for a right-handed hitting outfielder, and/or an above-average defensive left fielder, which Domínguez was not last season.
Jasson Domínguez makes a catch during the Yankees’ July 28 game. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
“Domínguez is an extremely talented player,” Cashman said. “He’s one of our best runners. So having him as a choice for our manager to use coming off the bench at times as a pinch-runner to steal a bag or first to third, second to home, what have you, definitely improves our chances of success because of his pure athleticism.
“We’ll just have to wait and see how the spring shakes out, who’s standing and then we’ll make the appropriate decisions when we have our meetings closer to the end of camp.”
It would only take one injury for Domínguez to jump back in the mix, though Spencer Jones — the center fielder with thunderous power but high strikeout rates — will also try to make his case to be the next man up this spring.
“Depth chart, in theory, you’d have him behind Domínguez going in because Domínguez has had more experience than he does,” Cashman said. “But that’s not going to stop him in competition.”
BIRMINGHAM, AL JANUARY 24: Riley Minix #22 of the Cleveland Charge drives to the basket during the game against the Birmingham Squadron on January 24, 2026 at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, AL. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the GettyImages License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mercedes Oliver/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers filled their last roster spot when they added Nae’Qwan Tomlin to a standard contract. Now, they’ve found someone for their final two-way spot. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, that slot is going to Riley Minix.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Riley Minix have agreed to a two-way deal, league sources told @hoopshype. Minix has averaged 17.5 points on 51.2% from the field and 42.6% from 3-point range in the G League this season. Minix previously was a two-way player for the San Antonio Spurs. pic.twitter.com/F6IsLm2GDo
Minix went undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft. He was invited to training camp with the San Antonio Spurs and ended up making the team on a two-way deal. He played just one game with the Spurs in his rookie season and spent most of his time with their G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs.
Minix started this season on a two-way contract as well, but was waived on Dec. 12. Overall, he played just four NBA games with San Antonio over two seasons.
On Jan. 13, the Cleveland Charge — G League affiliate of the Cavs — acquired his returning player rights from the Austin Spurs. He’s appeared in 12 games with the Charge since.
On the season, the 6’7”, 25-year-old forward has averaged 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game on .512/.426/.767 shooting splits in the G League.
The three-point shot is the obvious weapon for Minix. Last season, he connected on 41.4% of his three-point looks with Austin on 7.4 threes per contest. If he’s going to make a lasting impact in the NBA, presumably, it will be because of the outside shot.
Minix has had an unconventional journey to professional basketball. He played four collegiate seasons at Southeastern University, a smaller school that competes in the NAIA. After having the advantage of the COVID season, he played one season at Morehead State, averaging 20.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.
Minnix joins Tristian Enaruna and Emanuel Miller on two-way deals with the Cavs.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Shohei Ohtani is a five-time All-Star, a four-time Most Valuable Player, a two-time World Series winner and a World Baseball Classic champion, giving him a sparkling baseball resume that no current player can touch.
The only major honor he hasn’t won? A Cy Young Award.
Given his track record, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the two-way Japanese star add that trophy to his collection in 2026.
“I think it’s fair to say he expects to be in the Cy Young conversation,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday. “We just want him to be healthy, make starts, and all the numbers and statistics will take care of themselves.
“But, man, this guy is such a disciplined worker and expects the most from himself.”
Just 105 days after the Dodgers became MLB’s first back-to-back champs in a quarter century — beating the Toronto Blue Jays in a thrilling Game 7 — Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the rest of the team’s pitchers and catchers went through their first spring training workout at Camelback Ranch on Friday.
Ohtani is expecting to be a full-time, two-way player for the first time since 2023. An elbow injury kept him off the mound for the 2024 season and he returned to pitching midway though last year, going 3-0 with a 4.43 ERA in the postseason to help the Dodgers capture their second straight World Series title.
Roberts said an injury-free offseason — where he could focus on rest, recovery and strength — should make him even more formidable on the mound this season.
“He just looks strong, but not too much mass,” Roberts said. “Watching him throw, watching him run, his body is moving well. I think he’s in a sweet spot.”
The 31-year-old Ohtani munched on breakfast and laughed with teammates in the clubhouse before his bullpen session, fully comfortable in what are now familiar surroundings. He’s entering his third season with the franchise that has helped him blossom into the biggest baseball phenomenon in decades.
“I was finally able to have a normal offseason,” Ohtani said. “Although the offseason was pretty short, I thought it was a good thing.”
Ohtani said he arrived at Camelback Ranch at the beginning of the month and Friday’s bullpen — which he said went well — was his third of the spring. The goal is to throw live batting practice next week before he leaves to join Team Japan in Tokyo, where it will be playing in the World Baseball Classic.
He won’t be pitching for Japan in the WBC — focusing solely on his work at the plate.
Roberts said keeping Ohtani off the mound in the WBC was a collaborative decision that focused on his long-term health.
“As much as people think that he’s not human, he’s still a human being who has had two major surgeries,” Roberts said. “He’s got a long career ahead of him.”
The timeline and schedule of the WBC — Team Japan could be playing from March 6-17 on two different continents — makes Ohtani’s preparation for the Dodgers’ opening day game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 26 a challenge. Neither Roberts or Ohtani were sure what his throwing schedule would look like in Japan.
Roberts said he’s sure Ohtani will want to be ready to pitch at the beginning of the season, but the team would be flexible.
“It’s delicate,” Roberts said. “We’ll know more in the next couple weeks and see where the progression is at. But for us, there’s not going to be any timeline or endline or finish line where he has to be ready.”
The Dodgers enter the season as World Series favorites. They were big spenders on the free agent market once again, landing four-time All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker on a $240 million, four-year deal that further exacerbated the divide between baseball’s haves and have nots. Los Angeles also nabbed star reliever Edwin Díaz on a $69 million, three-year deal.
Díaz also threw a bullpen on Friday. He had a 1.63 ERA and 28 saves for the New York Mets last season.
“Guys are anxious,” Roberts said. “We’ve got a long camp, longer than we’ve had in recent years. We’re trying to get guys to start slow and be intentional and methodical. That’s kind of the message.”
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 09: Zac Gallen #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Oracle Park on September 09, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As first reported by Steve Gilbert, Zac Gallen is returning to the D-backs on a one-year deal. The amount involved is $22 million, which is basically the same amount as the qualifying offer Gallen declined at the start of the winter. However, Ken Rosenthal reports that approximately $14 million of that is deferred. It’s a stunning turnaround for both Gallen and the team. Zac was looking for a big payday, and MLB Trade Rumors projected a four year, $80 million contract for him. But coming off a poor year, with an 89 ERA+, the market for his services simply dried up.
For the Diamondbacks, even allowing for the deferred amount, this commits the team, one way or another, to more money that was expected to be available. The general belief was that Arizona would be looking to cut costs this winter, the team reportedly having run at a loss last year. But it looks like the payroll is going to be close to what it was in 2025. It also leaves the team with six starters, Gallen joining Merrill Kelly, Ryne Nelson, Brandon Pfaadt, Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Soroka. It’s going to be very interesting to see how the team opts to fit all those pieces into their roster.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Isaiah Hartenstein #55 of the Oklahoma City Thunder boxes out during the game on February 9, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
While the Lakers were buyers at the trade deadline, they did more window shopping than anything else.
The counterargument Lakers President of Basketball Operations made that LA was aggressive by saying no to trades didn’t exactly help his case or ease frustrations with the fanbase either.
So while waiting for the summer, when a player like Giannis Antetokounmpo could become available might be the best move, it doesn’t mean fans will be happy with the current state of the purple and gold.
The only hope fans have now is that the Lakers’ roster can return from the All-Star break healthy.
The trio of LeBron, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves has only played 10 games together. So, if they will all be available the rest of the way, perhaps that will be enough to pull off a surprise run like LA did in 2023, when they made it to the Western Conference Finals.
Knueppel is averaging 18.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in 53 games played for Charlotte. He will play for Team T-Mac. Edgecombe has averaged 14.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 49 games played for Philly. He’ll play for Team Vince.
Gerrit Cole throws a pitch during his bullpen for the Yankees on Feb. 13.
TAMPA — He is 35 now, another year older, with some more facial hair, a slightly different windup and a surgically reconstructed ulnar collateral ligament.
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But Gerrit Cole stepped onto the bullpen mound Friday morning at Steinbrenner Field and, as much as one can over the course of two simulated innings without any hitters in the box, looked like Gerrit Cole.
There is still a long way to go — in a best-case scenario, three months, with more hurdles to clear along the way — before Cole might take the mound in a big league game.
But just over 11 months removed from undergoing Tommy John surgery and having the entirety of his 2025 season wiped out, the former AL Cy Young award winner gave the Yankees a tantalizing reminder of what could be waiting for them later this year.
Gerrit Cole throws a pitch during his bullpen for the Yankees on Feb. 13. Charles Wenzelberg
“He looked like a Cy Young pitcher,” catcher Austin Wells said. “He looked smooth and in control. Looked confident in his ability.”
Of course, it was just a bullpen session in February, one that checked another box on the way to potentially facing hitters in another week or two and possibly getting into a Grapefruit League game before camp ends.
In his conversations with the Yankees and the surgeon who repaired his elbow, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the target return date has always been 14-18 months, Cole said, and that remains on track.
He had the surgery last March 11, so 14 months would be May 11.
And exactly what version of Cole the Yankees get once he does return to game action remains to be seen.
For some pitchers coming back from Tommy John, it takes a full season to get their stuff back and feel like themselves.
For others, it comes quicker.
Cole knows this and is not getting ahead of himself for what to expect this season.
But to this point, every step of the rehab process that he described as “long and tedious” has gone well, giving him and the Yankees hope that there is some light at the end of the tunnel inching closer.
Gerrit Cole prepares to throw a pitch during his Feb. 13 bullpen. Charles Wenzelberg
“I’m a confident guy. I have high expectations for my execution internally,” Cole said. “But overall, in terms of performance and expectations, I don’t really have any set goals or numbers or things like that. It’s been working really well to just stay day to day and execute the task at hand. So I think the challenge is to continue to do that as things become more exciting and things start to get rolling more and more.”
In his throwing session Friday, Cole’s fastball hit 94-96 mph, the pop of Wells’ glove ringing throughout the bullpen with a crowd of interested Yankees personnel watching.
At this point in the rehab process, Cole acknowledged that it is important for him to pay close attention to the velocity, making sure he is staying within the suggested ranges to “load the new [elbow] tissue strategically.”
Gerrit Cole watches from the Yankees dugout during their Sept. 23 game. Jason Szenes for the NY Post
“When I’m told to push, I push,” he said. “When I’m told not to, I don’t. I really haven’t deviated hardly at all from our targets.”
Along those lines, the Yankees will not push Cole back too soon, regardless of how encouraged they may be at each next step.
There is no sense in bringing him back quickly just to have him pitch in early-season games at the expense of having him available later in the year when the stakes are higher.
“We want to make sure we give him the proper time to make sure he is good and ready to come back, built up in a smart way,” manager Aaron Boone said. “So we won’t rush that with him, even if it continues to go incredibly well.”
Cole, too, expressed a cautious optimism about how he was feeling.
His old elbow got him 2,000-plus innings in the big leagues, and the new one is feeling “different than it has been in quite some time,” he said.
Whether that could mean throwing harder when he returns, Cole pumped the brakes and said with a smile, “We’ll see.”
More than anything, Cole just seemed to be longing for things to get back to normal, for the day when he can finally rejoin what has the potential to be a high-end rotation with him a key part of it.
“I just miss playing,” he said. “I miss that outlet of working hard and feeling exhausted every five days.”
