Gerrit Cole took a significant step Monday in his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery. The 2023 Cy Young Award winner and six-time All-Star began his throwing program before the Yankees started a three-game series against the Twins with a 6-2 victory. It was 20 pitches off flat ground.

The Yankees haven’t put an exact date on his return, but history tells us what to expect. Most pitchers need 12 to 18 months before they’re back in a big-league game, with the average sitting around 14 to 15 months. That puts Cole on track for a mid-season 2026 return if there are no setbacks.

The session didn’t last long, a blink-and-you-missed-it sequence of 20 tosses on flat ground across the Yankee Stadium outfield on Monday afternoon. But for Gerrit Cole, it represented one of the most anticipated events of his summer.