An important step in recovery: Yankees ace Gerrit Cole completed 20 throws after surgery.

Yankees' star pitcher Gerrit Cole took a significant step in his rehabilitation on Monday, U.S. time, completing 20 throws on flat ground after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

According to the Associated Press, Cole remarked before the Yankees' three-game series against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium, "I felt really good today, the accuracy of my throws was decent, and I really enjoyed the process."

Cole began his throwing program five months post-surgery. The procedure was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the head physician for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who implanted an internal brace in his right elbow to reinforce the ligaments.

"This is a very important day, my first throws," Cole said. "I've been preparing for this moment for several weeks, and it feels great to be outdoors and feel good doing it."

Yankees manager Aaron Boone commented, "He has been very diligent in his rehabilitation, and this is a significant milestone in the recovery process. It means a lot to him, so I'm excited for him."