Yankees' Gerrit Cole: Could be close to rehab assignment
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that Cole (elbow) threw three simulated innings and 42 pitches in a live session against High-A Hudson Valley hitters Sunday, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
Cole was able to make a couple of appearances late in the Grapefruit League and has continued to build up his pitch volume in simulated games through the first two weeks of the regular season. The Yankees could soon be ready to open the 30-day window on a minor-league rehab assignment for Cole, with Boone noting that a decision on the right-hander's next step will be made within the next few days. Because Cole opened the season on the 15-day injured list rather than the 60-day IL, he'll be eligible to return at any time, though he's unlikely to be activated until at least the second or third week of May.
