The best thing Gerrit Cole can do for the New York Yankees is to serve as their unquestioned ace on the mound. Unfortunately, he can't do that this season due to injury. As a result, the veteran starter is doing the second-best thing he can do to help the other members of the team's pitching staff.
Namely, he's serving as a sort of assistant coach for the Yankees as he continues his recovery from injury. Young starter Will Warren recently went on record with his thoughts on how Cole can help him improve his production at the major league level. He specifically referenced how much the veteran's kind words boosted his morale after issuing three consecutive walks in a start against the Red Sox.
Of course, Cole isn't the only veteran on manager Aaron Boone's staff who is dishing out sage advice to younger players. Carlos Rodon and Max Fried are also actively trying to mentor their more inexperienced peers. Cole has more time on his hands to engage in that effort since he can't make any on-field contributions this year.
Warren should not be the only hurler interested in soaking up Cole's wisdom. Clarke Schmidt is another member of the team's rotation who can benefit. Specifically, Schmidt should be seaking out advice on how to extend his starts. He struggled mightily to make it three turns through the opposing batting order but he's made significant strides lately to give his team more length. Takng a no-hitter deep against his team's matchup against the Orioles was a positive sign for Schmidt. It also could be something Cole is helpilng the righty work on.
Luis Gil currently resides on the Injured List alongside Cole, but he should be in a position to make it back into the team's rotatation sometime after the All-Star break. The former Rookie of the Year has electric stuff but his inconsistent mechanics can get him into trouble. Cole has a unique opportunity to help Gil refine his craft. If Cole can help Gil reduce his walk rate it could yield big dividends for the Yankees down the stretch.
The Yankees young pitchers can learn a lot from Gerrit Cole
Cole's advice should not be limited to the team's starting pitchers. Young relievers can also benefit from understanding how the former Cy Young Award winner thinks about pitching. It's very likely the Yankees will need to cycle through several young, unproven arms to fortify their bullpen as the regular season rolls along. If Cole can lend them some wisdom it might help one or two of those rookies emerge as crucial members of Boone's bullpen.
Every hitter on the Yankees roster should also be seeking Cole out for advice on how his pitching peers might think to attack them. He possesses electric stuff but a big part of what makes Cole so effective is his cerebral approach to the game. A young hitter like Anthony Volpe might really benefit from understanding how Cole views him as a hitter. The insights he might provide a young player like Volpe could change the trajectory of his career as a major league hitter.
Staying involved with his teammates should also provide real benefits to Cole as he continues his rehabilitation process. Spending additional time with family can help his recovery but staying connected to his teammates should help ease his transition back to the active roster when his arm is ready to go. That should not be an immediate concern for the Yankees but getting Cole back into the mix before Opening Day of the 2026 campaign is important for the franchise's long-term prospects.
Boone and Matt Blake are still the most important coaching voices to the Yankees' pitching staff but it would be a mistake for the team to underestimate how crucial Cole's wise words can be as the regular season rolls along. The Yankees would much prefer to see Cole taking the ball every five games but that's no going to happen for them this season. The elite right-hander offering up advice to all manners of players on the team's roster is the best thing he can do to help New York succeed in 2025. That's a frustrating reality for everyone involved but it's the only way Cole can help his team this year.