Yankees ace Gerrit Cole dominates in first rehab start

Cole was expected to throw 40-50 pitches. The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner hit that target, tossing 45 pitches, 34 for strikes. Per My Central Jersey's Mike Ashmore, his fastball sat between 94-96 mph.

"Nice environment, felt really great to get back out there and get back in the flow of things and get some adrenaline," Cole said of his start, via Ashmore. "[Somerset catcher] Ben [Rice] did a great job behind the plate, and everyone here did a great job making me feel comfortable so I could settle right in."

Cole will make another start for Somerset on Sunday but remains unsure when he'll pitch for the Yankees.

"Definitely close," Cole said of coming off of the injured list, via ESPN's Jorge Castillo. "I'm not sure how many more we need, but definitely closer rather than farther away. It should be right around the corner here."

Following a 5-1 win over the Minnesota Twins, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he thought "[Cole] looked really sharp." However, Boone signaled he still plans to exercise caution before putting him back in the lineup. Regardless, Cole's solid outing probably means he's on the right track.

The Yankees pitching staff has thrived this season. New York (43-19) leads baseball in ERA (2.75) and is tied for second in WHIP (1.11) with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Imagine what the unit will do when Cole returns.