Gerrit Cole's Solid Regular-Season Finale Leaves Yankees With Wild Card Rotation Questions
The veteran pitcher threw a season-high 105 pitches in a 9-2 win over the Rays, but his role in the upcoming playoff series remains a key consideration.
Gerrit Cole concluded the regular season with a strong performance, throwing a season-high 105 pitches in the New York Yankees' 9-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night. The outing, which saw Cole allow two runs on three hits and three walks while striking out eight over 5 2/3 innings, is being viewed as crucial in determining his role in the upcoming American League wild-card series.
Finishing the season with a 3.61 ERA, Cole's start marked the second time this season he exceeded 100 pitches. Pitching coach Matt Blake highlighted the importance of this start for solidifying the team's playoff pitching plans. While Cole showed fewer swings and misses than in some previous starts, he managed to induce weaker contact from the Rays lineup.
The Yankees' decision on when Cole will pitch in the wild-card series is complicated by the performances and availability of other top pitchers. Ace Cam Schlittler, who boasts a 1.94 ERA, is slated to start the team's regular-season finale. This scheduling means Schlittler would be pitching on his fifth day of rest if he were to start Game 1 of the wild-card series.
Manager Aaron Boone had previously indicated that Cole would likely make a start in the wild-card series, but the specific game assignment is still under consideration. Other potential starters, such as Max Fried and Carlos Rodón, also present scheduling considerations depending on whether they would be pitching on their sixth or seventh day of rest.
"There’s a bunch of different iterations of those four guys across three games that could make sense depending on who you’re playing and what that means coming out of the rest here into potential rest in the next series," Blake said. "But obviously you got to win the wild card."
Cole's performance comes after a challenging stretch earlier in the month, where he surrendered a combined seven home runs in starts against the Padres and Mets. Despite a solo home run allowed to Cedric Mullins on Wednesday, pitching coach Blake emphasized that the team would consider Cole's overall body of work and track record.
"With Gerrit, it’s not just the [last] month, it’s knowing who he is," Blake stated.
Offensively, Ben Rice hit two home runs, his 40th and 41st of the season, and Ryan McMahon contributed a grand slam and five RBIs in the win against the Rays.