NEW YORK — The Yankees’ vision is finally coming into sight.Back in December of 2024, when the Yankees signed Max Fried to a historic contract, they envisioned the left-hander forming an elite one-two punch with right-hander Gerrit Cole atop their rotation.Left-hander Carlos Rodón, a multi-time All-Star in his own right, was supposed to slide to the No. 3 spot, making the Yankees’ starting staff a unit few, if any, American League teams could counter.Sixteen months later, the Yankees are yet to flex that strength they way they hoped. Cole underwent Tommy John surgery in March of 2025, costing him all of last season and the start of this one.But the Yankees might not have to wait much longer to see how far their star-powered rotation can take them.Cole began a rehab assignment on Friday night at Double-A Somerset, allowing three runs over 4 1/3 innings against the Reading Fightin Phils.The 35-year-old struck out three, walked one and threw 36 of his 44 pitches for strikes.

He hit 96 mph against his final batter of the evening.More important than the results, Cole came out of the outing feeling “good,” he said.“It was fun to get back out there in game situations,” Cole said after Somerset’s 9-8 win in Bridgewater, N.J. “A little extra adrenaline, crowd and whatnot.”Cole still has a few more checkmarks to clear before he’s pitching in big-league games, and the Yankees will continue to be cautious with their longtime ace.But Friday marked another significant step for Cole who remains on track to rejoin the Yankees rotation by late May or early June.“Probably the only thing I didn’t really accomplish [Friday] was moving the four-seam [fastball] as well as I know I can,” Cole said.

“But it looked really good from a metric standpoint, and we were in the zone a lot, which was probably the main goal.”And that gives the Yankees reason to dream.When the Yankees signed Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract — the largest ever for a left-handed pitcher — it kicked off an aggressive pivot after they lost a bidding war for superstar slugger Juan Soto to the Mets.Rather than try to replace Soto’s prolific production with one player, the Yankees prioritized their rotation with the addition of Fried, then shored up their lineup and defense by trading for outfielder Cody Bellinger.Fried certainly did his part, going 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA over 32 starts last season to help the Yankees absorb Cole’s absence.Rodón stepped up, too, going 18-9 with a 3.09 ERA in his best season in pinstripes.Those two were big reasons why the Yankees went 94-68, tying them for the AL’s best record.But the Yankees can be even better with the return of Cole, a six-time All-Star and the 2023 AL Cy Young Award who boasts a 3.12 ERA over five seasons with the team.Rodón is also yet to pitch in the majors this season, but he is not far from starting his own rehab assignment after undergoing an October operation to remove a bone spur and loose bodies in his left elbow.“We’re obviously very excited to get those guys back,” manager Aaron Boone said of Cole and Rodón.“We know how good they are, really their entire careers, so we know what they’re capable of. But it’s a process, too, in getting them back, and it’s still a little ways off.

So the biggest thing right now is making sure they’re checking all the boxes getting built up properly and healthily.”Not all elbow recoveries are the same, but Cole repeatedly gave the Yankees reasons for optimism during spring training.His velocity and stuff flashed during bullpen sessions and live BPs. He made two starts late in the spring, allowing one run with three strikeouts over 2 2/3 innings. In his final spring appearance, Cole’s fastball maxed out at 98 mph.Friday’s game was another encouraging milestone.“The rehab process is long, and each phase has its own challenges,” Cole said.

“Right now, where we’re at, it’s about making sure you execute the process, and not looking ahead. Dealing with whatever things that can’t control that come your way in the game situations and minimize damage, continue to get deep.”Cole has not pitched in a game that counts for the Yankees since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series. When he does return, he is set to join a rotation that’s even better than the one that went to the Fall Classic.Fried remains as steady as ever, pitching to a 2-1 record and a 2.97 ERA through five starts this year.

Cam Schlittler is a revelation in his first full season in the majors, sporting a sparkling 1.95 ERA through his first five outings.A foursome of Cole, Fried, Rodón and Schlittler could form a fearsome playoff rotation — starting with Cole and Fried up front, as the Yankees long envisioned.Cole and company aren’t thinking that far ahead.“It’s exciting, but I’m not looking farther than what I’ve got to do the next couple of days,” Cole said of his progress. “Looking too far ahead and thinking about that would take me out of what I need to do right now, which is [to] focus on one day at a time.”