Gerrit Cole was a bit more consistent on Sunday.
After missing his spot in the starting rotation due to so-called “physical fatigue,” the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner returned to the mound and pitched a solid game to help the Yankees win 4-3 in 10 innings in a rain-delayed game against the Blue Jays in the Bronx.
Cole pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing six hits, two earned runs and striking out four.
“I was in good positions to pitch all day, and then as the game started to get going, I started to get some momentum and momentum,” Cole said, asserting that he felt good both during and after the game. “So, that’s a good indicator.”
There was obvious discomfort at first.
In addition to holding his upper shoulder and raising his arm at one point, Cole was hit by six of the first 11 batters he faced.
However, his braking ability improved and he only allowed two runners (one of whom was hit by pitch) after the second inning.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before the game that he would probably be cautious about using Cole.
“I think it started with his fastball,” Boone said after the game. “They did a good job. They were making good contact on his fastball, but I thought he was throwing a good fastball all day, had good form on it and I thought he was really settling down as he was throwing it.”
It was Cole’s first time back on the mound since being defeated by the Mets for the second time this season on July 24 in the Subway Series.
After allowing eight hits, two earned runs and two walks in a 12-3 loss, Cole expressed frustration that his ERA had risen to 5.40.
The 2024 season hasn’t gone according to plan for Cole, as he was rested in spring training and ended up missing the first two and a half months of the season due to neuritis and swelling in his pitching elbow.
So when the Yankees withdrew their ace earlier than expected last week after just seven starts, there were understandable concerns about the 33-year-old’s health.
Cole said he didn’t bounce back well from a poor showing against the Mets, which prompted the Yankees to hand the ball to Will Warren for his MLB debut in Philadelphia.
The fatigue was said to be unrelated to the elbow inflammation he experienced earlier in the season, and no tests were performed.
“Nothing special,” Cole said at the time, adding that it was still early in the season compared to other players. “I’m just a little tired.”
Cole appeared to struggle through 5 2/3 innings on Sunday, but his pitches were strong.
Toronto took the lead in the second inning when Alejandro Kirk hit a double down the warning track.
Addison Burger then doubled, sending Kirk home, before Davis Schneider and Luis de los Santos each singled and Ernie Clement hit an RBI single for a 2–0 lead.
Just before being replaced by Luke Weaver in the top of the sixth, Cole caught a fly ball by Spencer Horowitz and then struck out Doulton Varsho, who struck out looking.
He ended up throwing 60 of his 91 total pitches for strikes.
