It only took one pitch to know what kind of night it was going to be for Gerrit Cole.
Cole's 96 mph fastball, which started the Yankees' postseason run, sailed into the right field warning track, where it was caught by Juan Soto.
The next two batters hit the ball even harder, all three with batted ball velocities in excess of 162 mph, but Aaron Judge made two catches, including a long run to the left-center wall. .
Then, on Saturday, in Game 1 of the ALDS, a 6-5 win over the Royals at Yankee Stadium, Cole was constantly on the edge of his seat, walking a tightrope that made him unlikely to be an ace.
Cole allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits and two walks, while striking out four over five innings.
Despite throwing just 80 pitches, he left the game with a 4-3 lead and a runner on first base, allowing Tim Hill to hit a game-winning two-run homer.
Yes, the Yankees left off the $36 million Cy Young Award winner to acquire the left-hander, who is making $740,000 this season and was cut by the MLB-record-seeking White Sox in June. I thought it was the best. 121 losses.
It's no exaggeration to say that the Yankees had high expectations for him.
“As great a career as he's ever had and as great a Yankee as he's ever been. Looking back, he's had a lot of gut-seeing moments. That's what I always said,'' Coach Aaron Boone said before the game. “But the biggest thing right now is I feel like he's throwing the ball incredibly well. He's throwing the ball like our ace. We're giving him the ball. I’m excited about that.”
The second inning picked up where it left off, with the first three batters on base, and only outfielder Juan Soto's assist to home plate temporarily prevented a run.
The Royals took the lead with a sacrifice fly.
With the Yankees leading 2-1, Cole allowed a two-run home run to MJ Melendez in the fourth inning, allowing the Yankees to take the lead.
Yuli Gurriel, Cole's former teammate with the archrival and rival Astros, gave up an 11-pitch walk just before Melendez's home run.
The surest sign that there wasn't anything good about the call was when manager Aaron Boone called once-struggling closer Clay Holmes in the fourth inning, with two out and two on, after Melendez's homer. He was warming up in the bullpen.
Cole responded to the criticism he received after giving up what appeared to be an intentional walk to Rafael Devers in his final two starts of the regular season, with a dominant performance of one run in 15/3 innings. However, this was a bit of a surprise. -Up move against the batter of your number.
Cole played in seven playoff games for the Yankees, posting a 3.49 ERA. Saturday was the fourth time he didn't pitch six innings.
He could pitch again in Game 4 on Thursday after being fully rested.
