Juan Soto’s return to Yankee Stadium was wild, but it’s Gerrit Cole’s meltdown that’s really got the Bronx buzzing after the Subway Series wrapped up. Seriously, Cole’s whiff rate is in the gutter, and the dude just can’t keep the ball in the yard, making him the absolute biggest question mark for the Yankees right now as they try to catch the Rays.
Subway Series Drama and the AL East Scramble
This Subway Series was always going to be intense, with MLB scheduling it perfectly for the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. There was an emotional pregame ceremony on Friday, but those melancholic vibes flipped fast. As soon as the PA announcer dropped Juan Soto’s name, batting second and playing left field, over 40,000 fans absolutely drowned him in boos. Like, full-on “biggest traitor in American history” level boos. Wild stuff!
The Yankees, sitting at 86-63, are knee-deep in a pivotal stretch, clawing to pass the Tampa Bay Rays and snatch that AL East title. The Mets, bless their hearts, are already looking toward next year, stuck in another lost season with nothing to play for except maybe causing some chaos for their rivals. And they did their best, but in the end, the Bronx Bombers took two out of three games. Still, the Yankees are four games behind the Rays for the division title, so the pressure is on. Give the Mets some credit, though: they’ve been on a roll since the trade deadline and showed some real flashes of future potential all weekend.
What Is Even Happening With Gerrit Cole?
Let’s talk about Gerrit Cole, because wow. The guy who was once the undisputed Yankees ace? He’s officially passing that torch to Cam Schlittler after yet another disappointing outing. Cole could only manage 4 ⅓ innings on Saturday against a Mets team that’s just trying to avoid last place. But it gets worse. This veteran right-hander has given up seven home runs in his last 11 ⅓ innings pitched, and his whiff rate has plummeted. His 24.6% strikeout rate is the lowest it’s been since his 2017 Pirates days (23.1%), and his home run rate, at 4.2%, is tied for the highest of his career in a full season. When you’ve got Schlittler, Max Fried, and Carlos Rodon all dealing and performing well, it’s clear Cole is the biggest concern in that Yankees rotation heading into October.
Cole admits it, too. He said, “A straightforward observation is that the hitters are seeing the ball well and able to deliver good strikes to it, regardless of the pitch type or really the location. This is one of those times in the season where you gotta start making adjustments. Sometimes adjustments are hard, but that’s the demand of the game.” Yeah, no kidding! He’s rocking a 5.96 ERA in his past four starts, covering 22.2 innings. You gotta wonder if his arm is taxed after returning from Tommy John surgery, even with a solid 3.67 ERA overall, 117 strikeouts, and 115 ⅓ innings this year, his most since 2023. He says he feels healthy, and manager Aaron Boone isn’t concerned, but those numbers are definitely making everyone in the Bronx sweat.
The Yankees are still chasing the Rays, four games back, and with Cole’s struggles, they need adjustments ASAP if they want to take that AL East crown. Every single game counts now.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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