Yankees' Gerrit Cole tosses six-inning shutout in long-awaited return

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cole-gerrit/ry3vUq10/"]Cole[/a], 35, has been recovering from Tommy John surgery over the past year. He gave up just two hits with three walks and two strikeouts on 72 pitches (50 strikes). [/p][embed guid="c91a5b6f-8c5c-4454-adcc-f443b1d8242c" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-p9zFMyo_k" social-type="youtube" /][p]The 2023 Cy Young Award winner made his return to the mound for the first time since the 2024 World Series, already stacking highlights. [/p][p]At the top of the first inning, Cole picked off the MLB's fastest base runner, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/simpson-chandler/jm4dmXZk/"]Chandler Simpson[/a], when the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/tampa-bay-rays/GCHgI4hp/"]Rays[/a] had runners on first and second with one out, already looking to put up a run.[/p][p]But Cole had other plans.[/p][embed guid="2161859a-6fcf-4922-8311-b149b0b29784" url="https://x.com/MLB/status/2057976267022983265?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The Yankees entered Friday night's game with a 30-21 record, sitting just behind the Rays (33-15) for second in both the American League East division and third in the AL as a whole (Cleveland Guardians - 31-22).[/p]