Kansas City: Gerrit Cole’s Season Debut
Gerrit Cole’s return to the mound for the first time in 17 months sparked considerable excitement on Friday.
Now, he faces the challenge of doing it again, with another matchup against the Royals scheduled for Wednesday night.
In his initial appearance post-Tommy John surgery, Cole delivered a six-inning shutout performance against the Rays. He’ll look to replicate that success as he settles back into his routine.
“We just need to keep building on that,” said manager Aaron Boone before the Yankees’ impressive 15-1 win over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday. “Considering he hadn’t been on a major league mound for so long, I thought it was a fantastic start. What stood out to me was how well he pitched, maintaining those six scoreless innings.”
“But it wasn’t just about the pitching; he managed the game effectively. Facing a team like the Rays, where speed and running are crucial, he controlled various in-game scenarios well. You might have expected some rust, but he navigated through those situations adeptly.”
“We’re just eager to see him back on the field, hoping he continues to find his groove and settles into a regular pitching rhythm, pitching every five to six days.”
Cole threw 72 pitches in his initial game, and for Wednesday’s start, he should have around 80 pitches if he’s physically up to it.
He managed 84 pitches in his last rehab outing, but throwing in the majors brings an entirely different level of intensity.
Interestingly, he only took one break during his rehabilitation and will be starting with four days of rest.
Even on a night when pitcher Cam Schrittler felt off his game, he allowed just one run—thanks to a hit from Bobby Witt Jr.—with six strikeouts across six innings.
“We weren’t at our sharpest, but we managed to put the team in a winning position,” he reflected. “That’s about all you can ask for.”
In other news, Giancarlo Stanton had further imaging tests after a training session at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. While results weren’t available immediately, he expressed hope that his right calf had sufficiently healed to resume running.
