Yankees Ace Gerrit Cole Begins Throwing Program in Tommy John Recovery

New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole has taken a significant step in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, making 20 throws off flat ground on Monday. This marks the beginning of his throwing program, five months after undergoing an internal brace insertion in his right elbow. Cole expressed that the session "felt really good" and that he was "fairly accurate" during the throws. Yankees manager Aaron Boone noted this as a "significant" milestone, with Cole expected to continue flat-ground work for several months before progressing to throwing off a mound, aiming for a normal offseason.