Yankees $218M Ace Reveals Recovering Gerrit Cole’s Behind the Scenes Contributions to the Team

There’s a brain trust quietly operating in the Bronx, and no, it’s not coming from the front office. While some stars cash checks and coast, one sidelined arm is busy orchestrating strikeouts from the dugout. The New York Yankees aren’t just benefiting from elite pitching—they’re getting it with a secret sauce stirred by none other than Gerrit Cole, the recovering ace who’s redefining “injured reserve.”

You all thought that Gerrit Cole was done for the season, huh? While most pitchers who went under the knife would sit back and relax, Gerrit Cole is a different gravy. Cole might be unable to pitch, but he can use his pitching knowledge and help his team. Who better to explain this than his mate, Max Fried!

In a recent Instagram post by the yankslegacy page, it talked about how Gerrit Cole is still helping out the team from the sidelines. They had used an article written by Brendan Kuty to show Cole’s effect on the team. In that article, Max Fried talked about Cole, “Cole sometimes sends me some notes and texts after starts, and we’re able to at least keep in touch and pick his brain.”

Fried also mentioned that Gerrit Cole’s feedback is very valuable to him. It gives him a chance every day to improve and make changes to his daily routine. Max Fried also shared that he wants to keep Cole involved in the game as much as possible because of his game IQ.

Cole is a Cy Young winner and also one of the smartest pitchers of this generation, and not using his brain to the full potential is a mistake that Fried won’t be making.

And really, who in their right mind ignores a Cy Young brain on standby? Max Fried clearly isn’t taking that gamble—and the Yankees are reaping the rewards. Gerrit Cole might be off the mound, but his influence is pitching a shutout from the shadows. Call it coaching, call it mentoring—just don’t call him irrelevant. The $324 million mind is still very much in play.

Will Warren talks about the impact Gerrit Cole has from the sidelines

There are coaches, there are captains, and then there’s Gerrit Cole—currently winning games without throwing a single pitch. While most injured players fade into the background, Cole has turned the New York Yankees‘ dugout into a masterclass in pitching psychology. And somewhere in that crash course stands rookie Will Warren, now dealing strikeouts like a seasoned ace—armed not just with stuff, but with the Gospel according to Gerrit.

Gerrit Cole may be sidelined this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in February, but he’s still throwing heat, just in the form of wisdom. While the Yankees await his return, Cole has become a mentor in the dugout, offering insight and sharpening the minds of the team’s young arms.

One pitcher soaking it all in is Will Warren, blossoming with Cole’s help. “Whenever he pulls me aside, I’m going to listen,” Warren said. The pair talk shop between workouts and treatments, trading tips on pitch execution and game strategy. “Winning the race to two strikes,” Warren added, has become a shared focus.

Cole’s advice goes beyond mechanics—it’s mental warfare. “Even if they’re balls,” Warren noted, “did they change the hitter’s eyesight?” That kind of thinking is turning Warren into a strikeout machine. With 34 Ks in his last four starts, it’s clear: Cole’s voice is still shaping victories.

In a rotation stacked with arms, Gerrit Cole might be the sharpest one not throwing. His injury kept him off the mound, but not out of the game—and certainly not out of Warren’s ear. Call it mentorship, call it sorcery—but if Warren keeps dealing, we’ll all know who cast the first spell.