ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Yankees busses already had journeyed from the team hotel to Angel Stadium for a Memorial Day night game when their injured ace walked into the visiting clubhouse.
This was no workday for Gerrit Cole, whose 2025 baseball season officially ended on March 11 when his right UCL tear was repaired with a Tommy John surgery.
Since the season started, Cole has been rehabbing daily at Yankee Stadium while living in his Greenwich, Conn., residence. Beginning last weekend, he took a break to spend nine days with the family at their Newport Beach home, which is about 12 miles south of Anaheim.
With the Yankees in SoCal all week for three against the Angels, an off day and then a World Series rematch series with the Dodgers up in Los Angeles, the Coles headed west.
Monday was another family day, beach time with the wife and kids, then everyone spending some time together at the ballpark.
After the Coles arrived at the ballpark, Amy and the two boys — Caden, who turns 5 on June 30, and Everett, 2 — were led to the playing field and stood behind the batting cage while the Angels took BP.
Gerrit changed into a pair of road gray pants, threw on a Yankees T-shirt, grabbed a NY cap and headed out to the field. There were some hellos and quick chats with Angels players, but this moment was all about soaking in watching the boys throw a ball around suited up in their miniature Yankees pinstripe uniforms with daddy’s number 45 on the jersey back. They even brought their mitts, and like dad, both are righties.
Looking all serious, Caden mimicked dad’s windup and with all his might lobbed a baseball 20 feet to mom. The former UCLA softball player caught the pitches one-handed, then rolled the ball back to wait another throw while chatting with Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon‘s wife.
Cole was there to offer some pointers, and he ate it up. Caden’s dressed up for all of his dad’s games the last few years, but this was different because Cole wasn’t preparing for an outing or doing his between-starts work.
“I always miss competing and pitching, but I’ve been able to find some ways to enjoy life off the field and take advantage of a lot of the family time the last few months,” Cole said.
When Cole’s rehabbing in New York, he gets to the ballpark early to get his work done so that he can get back to Greenwich in time to pick up the boys from pre-school.
Monday’s family day started with the Caden and Everett in their swimsuits playing in the Pacific and catching sand crabs at Corona Del Mar State Beach Park. The water temperature was only 64, but no one wasn’t shy about getting wet.
“I grew up out here,” Cole said. “I like it crisp.”
Cole really wishes he was pitching in this week’s Yankees-Angels series because starts close to home always are extra special.
“I really enjoy playing here because a lot of people come and see me,” he said. “The vibe is like how it was when I was a kid.”
Cole loves the vibe of the Yankees. He was impressed what the front office did in last winter after not re-signing Juan Soto, but he never dreamed $218-million left-handed import Max Fried would be as great as he has been going 7-0 with a 1.29 ERA in his first 11 starts.
Cole loved the Paul Goldschmidt signing, but who could have predicted the 37-year-old first baseman would hit .345 in the first third of the season after batting .245 for the Cardinals last year. He likes what the Yankees are getting from Cody Bellinger, Austin Wells, Ben Rice ... everyone.
Cole figured the Yankees still could be a very good team without him for the whole year and fellow star rotation piece Luis Gil for the first half, but he’s been thrilled seeing them off to a 33-20 start counting Monday night’s 5-1 victory.
“It’s a pretty good club with high aspirations,” Cole said. “Fried has been really, really, really good. Really sharp right out of the gate. It’s very impressive. And you can’t understate what Carlos has done, either. He’s been really good, too. It’s been exciting to watch both of them pitch really well.
“It’s been exciting to watch us play. It’s a really good club. It’s a balanced club. And I’m sure (the front office) will find a way to continue to improve it, too, because they just never stop at that.”
Cole will be cheering on his teammates to get back in the postseason, then go one step further in October.
Whatever happens this year, Cole plans to be return in the first half of next season. He still has a lot of rehabbing ahead of him, but it’s been going well so far.
The agenda he’s on now is strengthening his arm. By mid-August, he’s hoping to be cleared to begin a throwing program with very light tosses.
Cole is doing what he’s told because he doesn’t want to push himself too much and end up having setbacks that eat more into 2026 season.
This year, with no games to play, it’s all about business and pleasure for Cole. Do the rehab work, then cherish this summer with day-job hours because he might not get to do it again while his boys are small.
“I’ve had some enjoyable times with the kids, so I feel really blessed about that,” Cole said. “Life’s good.”
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Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com.