Turns out Gerrit Cole, the ace we all know, isn’t even one of the Yankees’ three best pitchers right now, and that’s blowing up their Wild Card Series rotation plans big time. While Cam Schlittler is absolutely locked in for Game 1, probably bringing home a Cy Young and maybe even a surprise AL MVP, the rest of Boone’s decisions for that “all but inevitable” series are looking way more complicated.
Gerrit Cole’s Road Back Has Hit a Speed Bump
Cole missed the start of the season, fighting his way back from Tommy John surgery. When he finally hit the mound, things were pretty shaky out of the gate. We saw glimpses of the old Gerrit through July and August, when he put up a solid 2.66 ERA over ten starts, looking like he was back in form. But September? Man, that month has been a total challenge. It’s not just the historic homers he’s been giving up. Over the weekend against the Mets, he couldn’t even make it through five innings. This dude, who usually dominates, is facing some real hurdles right when it counts most.
Lefties Max Fried and Carlos Rodon Are Stepping Up Big
While Cole struggles, Max Fried and Carlos Rodon are absolutely locked in. Seriously, neither of those guys has given up more than one earned run in a start since July! Talk about consistency. Plus, they’re both lefties, which is huge, especially when you think about that short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium, which, let’s be real, is kind of a joke. These guys can neutralize that threat beautifully. It’s a bummer, because honestly, it’s always fun to see Cole get embarrassed, and he’s famously struggled against the Red Sox in the playoffs before, giving up seven earned runs in eight innings over two matchups.
So yeah, Boone’s got a puzzle. You gotta hope Cole can flip the switch in these last two weeks of the season and find his old self, earning back some trust heading into what promises to be a wild Wild Card ride.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Over the Monster.
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