How Yankees’ Gerrit Cole really feels about getting start pushed back

In a rare decision, the New York Yankees gave starting pitcher Gerrit Cole, who returned from Tommy John surgery last month, an extra day of rest.

Cole had been initially scheduled to start the finale of the Yankees’ weekend series against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday. But on Saturday, New York manager Aaron Boone announced that Elmer Rodriguez would start in place of Cole, who would start vs. the Detroit Tigers on Monday.

The former Cy Young winner gave his thoughts on Boone’s decision on Sunday, according to Yankees reporter Bryan Hoch.

“I’m good. I was ready to go [Sunday]. … Any pitcher, if you’re on a roll, just keep feeding me – you know what I mean? But there are different factors that contribute to when you get to do that. It’s really not that big of a deal,” Cole said.

Gerrit Cole on having his start pushed back to Monday at Detroit: “I’m good. I was ready to go [Sunday]. … Any pitcher, if you’re on a roll, just keep feeding me – you know what I mean? But there are different factors that contribute to when you get to do that. It’s really not…

— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) June 21, 2026

Boone explained that deciding to start Rodriguez over Cole on Sunday was due to the team’s schedule, which calls for more than two weeks without a single off day. As a result, the longtime manager said he wants to be “pretty mindful” and “play a long game with all these guys.”

Cole missed more than a full season by the time he came back from injury late last month. He had undergone Tommy John surgery in March 2025 following a rough 2024 season, in which he pitched only 95.0 innings and posted a 3.41 ERA, 3.69 FIP, and 1.126 WHIP.

Before that, though, he had won the 2023 AL Cy Young Award and set new career-highs in ERA, innings pitched, shutouts, starts, WHIP, and bWAR.

First pitch today between the Yankees and Tigers is set for 6:10 p.m. ET.

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