NEW YORK -- The assignment was to throw 20 pitches, mostly fastballs, from the mound -- a workload that would take place approximately 3 1/2 hours before game time on a Tuesday afternoon. Gerrit Cole eyed the full pinstriped uniform in his locker, opting to dress as though it were Opening Day.

¡°Because I missed it,¡± Cole said. ¡°I feel really happy that I was able to put it on.¡±

In a way, this did represent the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner¡¯s season opener -- or at least, a significant step in getting there.

Facing teammates Oswaldo Cabrera and Jahmai Jones, Cole took another significant step in his recovery from a spring elbow injury by tossing from the Yankee Stadium mound for the first time this year.

In fact, the session almost went a bit too well. Cole¡¯s fastball was clocked as high as 96 mph, which prompted pitching coach Matt Blake to chastise him from behind a screen set up on the infield, warning the ace right-hander to ease off.

¡°I had to dial the fastball back, which is a good sign,¡± Cole said. ¡°I thought the sliders were sharp, the curveballs. Everything was really sharp except for the changeup, which was just a little pushed beneath the zone. But we worked the fastball up and down well. The spin was pretty good.

¡° ¡­ Sometimes you don¡¯t realize it comes out quite so hot. I wasn¡¯t intending to throw it 96. It¡¯s a good sign.¡±

Sidelined in March due to nerve irritation and edema in his pitching elbow, Cole has been throwing from a mound since May 4 and said that he is pain-free.

Cole said he threw two curveballs, three changeups, two sliders and two cutters. He expects another one or two live batting practice sessions before being cleared to begin a Minor League rehab assignment. Manager Aaron Boone said Cole will return to Tampa, Fla., during the Yanks¡¯ West Coast trip that begins Friday in San Diego.

Asked if he considers a June return to the big league rotation a realistic goal, Cole replied: ¡°I wouldn¡¯t rule it out.¡±

¡°I guess it¡¯s possible. I don¡¯t want to get ahead of ourselves in this and start predicting,¡± Boone said. ¡°Things are going well, and that was another big step. He¡¯ll probably have another couple of these, and then we start to build from there.¡±

As Boone alluded, the Yankees have been secretive regarding their plans to reinstate Cole, careful not to set a firm timetable. But there is clearly curiosity, and not just outside the organization. Many of Cole¡¯s teammates altered their pregame routine to watch from the first-base dugout.

¡°I walked out there and was like, ¡®Whoa, OK,¡¯¡± Boone said. ¡°Not surprising, considering who it is. But, yeah, there was a little anticipation.¡±

On some level, the Yankees¡¯ excellent starting pitching thus far has helped to distract Cole, who has taken to serving as an auxiliary pitching coach.

Over the club¡¯s past eight games entering play Tuesday night, Bombers starters have gone 7-0 with an 0.86 ERA, with Marcus Stroman picking up a no-decision in a 7 1/3-inning gem on Monday night

¡°If we were really struggling, then you¡¯d be challenged with having not to feel like you need to rush back,¡± Cole said. ¡°I obviously don¡¯t have that. I don¡¯t feel like I need to rush it back. Whether they were performing well or not, you try to stick to that [plan], but there¡¯s definitely not any impending outside pressure.¡±