THE MISSING SLIDER: WHEN WILL GERRIT COLE START THROWING HIS SECONDARY BREAKING PITCHES?
Gerrit Cole is throwing heat! Read about his 97 MPH fastball, his mid-season return, and how he saves the Yankees' 2026 rotation.
The Yankees are putting a lot on Gerrit Cole’s shoulders this season, especially after his elbow surgery. Cole’s 35 now. He had Tommy John surgery and missed all of 2025. Before that, in 2024, he threw 95 innings with a 3.41 ERA.
He saw this coming with his elbow, honestly. And his contract added some drama. There was an opt-out after 2024, but the Yankees could cancel it by just tacking on another year at $36 million. Since Cole needed surgery, both sides agreed to leave the deal alone: no opt-out, no extra year. That way, Cole could just focus on getting healthy without worrying about his future.
And, man, Cole looks ready. He’s been sharp this spring, already touching 97 mph with his fastball. That’s not rehab speed; that’s what he throws in games. The Yankees wanted to see that, and they have.
Brendan Kuty from The Athletic said on the Fireside Yankees podcast that Cole looks good. Sure, he’s just throwing fastballs right now, but 97 is 97. Even for an inning, he doesn’t look hurt. He didn’t cruise through his rehab either. The Yankees’ season really rides on him. If he’s healthy and pitching well, this team is in a much better spot.
That’s basically the story. The Yankees are pretty much the same team that lost to the Blue Jays in the ALDS. They brought in Ryan Weathers and kept Cody Bellinger and Paul Blackburn, but that’s about it. If Cole comes back around late May or early June and pitches as he did in 2023, when he put up a 2.82 ERA, suddenly this team feels different.
Let’s talk rotation. Right now, the Yankees start the year with Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, Ryan Weathers, and Luis Gil. Fried’s the ace. Schlittler showed flashes last year but still needs to get his secondary pitches working. Warren’s fastball is legit, but when he can’t land his breaking stuff, he struggles. Weather? He’s got upside but can’t stay healthy. Gil is fun to watch, but up and down.
This group might win 85-90 games. It’s not a World Series rotation, though. Add Cole, and the whole picture changes. Fried and Cole at the top can match up with anybody in October. Schlittler slides to third, so there’s less pressure on him.
Don’t forget Carlos Rodon; he’s coming back from elbow surgery, too, and should return by late April or early May. So by June, the Yankees could be rolling out Fried, Rodon, and Cole. That’s a huge step up from where they started the season.
But it’s not just about velocity with Cole. He’s focusing on his fastball right now; sliders and breaking balls come later. He hopes to be back in late May or early June. Seeing him throw that hard is a good sign, but the real test is when he starts mixing in his full arsenal. His slider is nasty, his curve sets up his heater, and his changeup keeps hitters honest.
Kuty also said it’s not just the speed; it’s how intense and smooth he looks. Like, get ready; this could be special as Cole finds his rhythm again.
That edge is what sets great pitchers apart. Cole doesn’t just throw hard. He’s a competitor. He attacks hitters and makes them uncomfortable, even when they know what’s coming. You can’t measure that on a radar gun, but it’s huge in the postseason.
Even if Cole comes back at 75%, he’s still a major boost for this team. Seriously, a 75% Cole is better than most starters at full strength. If he’s sitting 95-96 instead of 97-98, fine. If his slider isn’t as sharp, they’ll take it. If he can give them 160-170 innings and an ERA around 3.50, that’s a win.
The Yankees don’t need him to be the Cy Young runner-up from 2023. They need him to take the ball, keep them in games, and eat innings. If he does that, the rotation goes from shaky to solid.
If he’s fully back by September, the Yankees are set. That’s when you want your ace healthy. Playoff baseball is all about pitching depth, and having Cole, Fried, and Rodon can change everything.
They can live with a slow start if they know Cole’s coming. They can deal with young pitchers taking their lumps because help is on the way. But if Cole really looks like himself when he returns, this team suddenly has one of the best rotations in baseball.
For now, everyone’s watching the next bullpen. Can he snap off the slider? Is the curve still nasty? The answers will tell you if the Yankees are for real this year.
MILLION DOLLAR BET: LOGAN PAUL’S OPEN CHALLENGE TO THE NFL BACKFIRES AS BELL ACCEPTS
Logan Paul is ducking: Read about Le’Veon Bell’s $1M challenge, Tom Brady’s "cute" insult, and the Pittsburgh Draft fight rumours.
A former NFL star just called out Logan Paul, saying he’s dodging their $1 million fight.
So here’s what’s been going on: Logan Paul, who’s held the WWE United States Championship, got into it with NFL legend Tom Brady. Brady kicked things off by saying pro wrestling is “cute” and throwing shade at Paul’s athleticism compared to NFL players.
Logan didn’t let that slide. He fired back, claiming 99% of NFL players would fall apart if they tried wrestling in WWE, and then flipped the script by calling football "cute". Things really heated up when Brady straight-up called him a b*tch, and Logan decided to up the ante.
On his IMPAULSIVE podcast, Logan claimed no football player could beat him in a boxing match. He even put $1 million on the line, daring any NFL player to prove him wrong. A bunch of NFL guys jumped in, but Le’Veon Bell, a former Steelers star and a pro boxer himself, really took the bait.
Bell challenged Logan to fight in Pittsburgh during the 2026 NFL draft. He didn’t hold back, posting, “STOP DUCKING, @LoganPaul. Bro’s trying to fight an NFL player that’s never fought before. Let’s set it up; we all heard you say you can beat any NFL player. We can fight in April; the NFL draft is in PITTSBURGH. Let’s make it happen.”
Logan fired back. He pointed out that Bell isn’t in the NFL anymore, and since Bell actually knows how to fight, Logan said he’d need serious training time, which means stepping away from WWE, something he’s not willing to do. Plus, Logan claimed the fight isn’t worth it because Bell doesn’t draw a big crowd. “You’re not in the NFL. You can actually fight, so I’d have to properly train and step away from WWE (which I’m not doing, especially not for you). There’s no money here because you’re not a draw. Prove me wrong. Of course, you want the opportunity. I’m a goldmine for retirees like you. But gg,” Logan replied.
Bell wasn’t having it. He accused Logan of ducking out, saying Logan’s only interested in fighting NFL players with zero boxing experience. “THIS MF A (duck emoji) bro said, 'You can actually fight,' so he’s telling everyone he wants to fight someone who he feels can’t fight. That’s what we call DUCKING,” Bell shot back.
THIRD FASTEST EVER? HOW DID JAYSON TATUM BEAT KEVIN DURANT’S RECOVERY BY 254 DAYS?
Jayson Tatum is back: Read about his 298-day Achilles recovery, the 15-minute limit, and why the Celtics are now title favourites.
Jayson Tatum sat at the Auerbach Center, listening to questions from reporters during Celtics media day, looking like he was itching to get back on the court.
The Celtics’ star forward is finally on the verge of returning after tearing his Achilles less than 300 days ago, but don’t expect to see him logging big minutes right away. Reports say Boston plans to be extra cautious. Brett Siegel from ClutchPoints even said he’d be surprised if Tatum plays more than 10 to 15 minutes per game at first.
Tatum’s officially listed as questionable for Friday’s home game against the Mavericks. If he suits up, it'll be a huge boost for Boston, and honestly, a bit of a shock, considering how long other players have been out with the same injury. Just look at Dejounte Murray; he had to wait nearly 100 days longer than Tatum before coming back, and the Pelicans have limited him to 25 minutes a night since.
At the start of the season, most people figured Tatum would sit out the whole year. That’s what usually happens with Achilles injuries; guys like Durant, Klay, and DeMarcus Cousins all missed at least a year. Damian Lillard and Tyrese Haliburton, who tore their Achilles in last year’s playoffs too, were ruled out for the entire season.
But then whispers started. Suddenly, Tatum was practising with the G League’s Maine Celtics, then joining full scrimmages with the big club. The rumours got louder, and now, here we are. If he does play Friday, he’ll have pulled off the third-fastest return from an Achilles tear in recent NBA history; only Kobe Bryant and Chauncey Billups came back quicker.
Here’s a quick rundown:
Kobe Bryant: 240 days
Chauncey Billups: 296 days
Jayson Tatum: 298 days
DeMarcus Cousins: 357 days
Kevin Durant: 552 days
Of course, Boston isn’t taking any chances. Tatum had to hit every checkpoint – conditioning, weight, you name it – before they’d let him suit up. And by all accounts, he looks good. Derrick White said Tatum has been moving well and playing like his old self in practice. You can see how hard he’s worked to get to this point.
The Celtics are 41-21 and already one of the league’s best, but Tatum’s return suddenly makes them the favourites to win the East and push for another Finals trip. Oddsmakers have noticed, too. Thomas Gable at Borgata said Tatum’s comeback could give Boston’s title odds another bump, and David Lieberman at Caesars pointed out that bettors have already started to back the Celtics with his return in mind.
So, yeah, Boston fans have a lot to be excited about. Tatum’s almost back, and the Celtics’ championship hopes just got a whole lot brighter.
