As the Yankees maintain their perch atop the American League East standings, a wave of positive medical reports has energized the clubhouse. From ace hurler Gerrit Cole breaking his post-surgery silence to steady rehabilitation progress from Giancarlo Stanton, DJ LeMahieu, Jonathan Loaisiga, and Marcus Stroman, New York inches closer to welcoming back several cornerstone players.
Here’s where each Yankees recovery stands as of May 2025:
Cole eyes August rehab plan
The Yankees’ 2023 AL Cy Young recipient Gerrit Cole delivered his first public assessment since undergoing Tommy John surgery in early March. The star right-hander informed reporters that he removed his elbow brace over two weeks ago and has increased his time around teammates during rehabilitation. He has his eyes set on August rehab start.
“I still pitch before I go to bed every night,” Cole said, via the New York Daily News. “I haven’t given up any hits recently.”
While physical throwing remains months away—Cole targets August to begin a throwing program—his leadership presence provides an emotional lift for the club.
The Yankees ace candidly acknowledged the psychological challenges of early recovery, describing initial weeks as exceptionally difficult before seeing gradual improvement. He called the early recovery period “really dark,” but added, “You work your way closer to the end of the tunnel.”
According to ESPN, Cole views the eight-week post-surgical milestone as particularly significant in his rehabilitation timeline. Though returning to competition in 2025 remains unlikely, his clubhouse influence continues shaping team dynamics.
Stroman advances toward facing hitters
Marcus Stroman‘s recovery from left knee inflammation has encountered obstacles, but recent developments show promise. The veteran pitcher, sidelined since April 11, completed another bullpen session Monday. Barring setbacks, Stroman could face live batters this week—a critical milestone before beginning minor league rehabilitation assignments.
Stroman’s early-season performance disappointed (11.57 ERA across 9.1 innings), but the organization hopes his return will strengthen a rotation currently dependent on Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt.
Should his progression remain steady, the Yankees pitcher might rejoin the major league rotation by mid-to-late June.
LeMahieu rakes up in minor league stint
DJ LeMahieu has quietly assembled an impressive rehabilitation assignment with Double-A Somerset while recovering from a calf strain suffered during spring training. Through six rehab appearances, LeMahieu has posted a .438 batting average, including extra-base production.
The versatile Yankees infielder visited Yankee Stadium recently, and while no firm activation date exists, manager Aaron Boone indicated LeMahieu could return during the team’s upcoming West Coast trip.
With Jazz Chisholm Jr. sidelined by oblique issues, the Yankees are contemplating redeploying LeMahieu at second base. Boone confirmed this possibility, noting: “Right now, second [base] is more in play with Jazz down for a little bit.”
Additionally, LeMahieu received hip treatment last week, helping maintain his rehabilitation progression.
Stanton set for crucial live batting
Giancarlo Stanton will face reliever Jake Cousins in live batting practice Tuesday, marking his first encounter with game-speed pitching since bilateral elbow tendinitis sidelined him in January. Despite his transfer to the 60-day injured list earlier this spring, recent workout reports have been encouraging.
In conversations with YES Network, the Yankees slugger acknowledged he’s managing persistent discomfort rather than experiencing complete recovery. “There will be good days and bad days… keep a good mentality and keep it rolling,” he said.
Stanton described his upcoming rehabilitation phase as a condensed spring training, focusing on consistent at-bats, baserunning drills, and full-game participation. The positive physical response could position him for minor league games and eventual activation by early June.
His return would rebalance the Yankees lineup that has skewed left-handed during his absence. Stanton contributed 20 regular-season home runs last year, plus seven critical postseason blasts during New York’s 2024 World Series campaign.
Loaisiga surges in rehab games
Right-handed reliever Jonathan Loaisiga continues advancing through the minor league system. His Sunday outing for Single-A Tampa yielded three strikeouts and one earned run across 1⅓ inning. His fastball velocity registered between 95-96 mph—encouraging for someone recovering from elbow internal brace surgery performed last April.
This marked Loaisiga’s second game appearance since returning to competition. The Yankees plan to elevate him through increasingly competitive minor league levels before determining activation timing, potentially targeting late June.
Loaisiga’s return could provide stability for a bullpen battling inconsistency. With closer Devin Williams underperforming, Loaisiga might quickly reclaim high-leverage opportunities upon returning to full health.
Despite missing several core contributors, the Yankees have maintained a competitive positioning near the American League summit. The team currently leans heavily on Fried and Rodón’s pitching while Aaron Judge powers the offense.
With these players trending positively, June potentially represents a pivotal strengthening period for a Yankees squad seeking roster depth and momentum entering the 2025 season’s middle months.
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