ARLINGTON, Texas — For six innings Monday night, Gerrit Cole looked like the ace the Yankees need late into October.
And then the risk of injury came up again.
Cole appeared to have an issue with his right calf while warming up in the bottom of the seventh inning and left the game after a brief conversation with trainers and Aaron Boone.
The Yankees did not immediately announce the reason for Cole's departure.
Cole appeared to be trying to relax in the dugout in the top of the seventh inning, but then left the game in a disrespectful and concerning manner.
The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, who missed the first two and a half months of the season because of neuritis in his elbow, pitched six strong innings, allowing one run and striking out nine batters before leaving the game.
Cole threw just 82 pitches, eight of which came in a shutout effort in the bottom of the sixth after Cole was held up long enough in the top of the sixth that the Yankees mounted a five-run rally.
Coming into the night, the Yankees saw a looming starting pitching crunch with Luis Gil and Clark Schmidt scheduled to return from the disabled list this weekend, which would have forced one of their starters to rotate to the bullpen if everyone was healthy.
As of Monday night, that was suddenly up in the air.
