Gerrit Cole has had a challenging 2024 season with injuries, having only made his debut for the New York Yankees in June after dealing with an elbow issue during Spring Training. Therefore, any sight of him being sidelined again would be alarming for fans. On Monday, there were worries Cole might have sustained a serious injury after he exited their 8-4 victory over the Texas Rangers before the seventh inning.
Fortunately, the issue wasn’t with his elbow, arm, or shoulder. As Yankees analyst David Cone noted during the broadcast, Cole simply experienced cramps, which, according to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News, the veteran pitcher isn’t overly worried about.
Cole mentioned he first felt cramping in his right leg during a warmup pitch before the seventh inning, but he doesn’t experience pain while walking or moving around.
I jogged out there and didn’t feel it, and I don’t feel it walking or moving around, Cole said.
The Yankees’ choice to remove Cole and limit his appearance to six innings was a precautionary measure to prevent any worsening of what is usually a minor issue.
I tried a couple of things to get it to stop, and it didn’t stop. So it didn’t seem like it was going to go away, Cole added.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone also observed that Cole appeared to be in good shape when they checked on him, expressing hope that the cramps wouldn’t have lasting effects.
I know he seemed pretty good right now when we came in. Hopefully that’s the case, Boone said.
Recovering and regaining form after a long injury layoff can be challenging. Although Gerrit Cole is a top-tier starting pitcher, he too required some time to find his rhythm in 2024. With roughly a month remaining in the regular season and the AL East division title still in contention, now is a crucial moment for Cole to hit his stride.
On Monday, Cole delivered one of his best performances of the season for the Yankees, effectively neutralizing the Rangers’ offense. Over six innings, he gave up only one earned run on five total baserunners and struck out nine batters, his second-highest strikeout count of the year. Notably, his highest strikeout game this season also came against the Rangers, when he fanned 10 batters on August 10.
Cole particularly noted that his four-seam fastball was notably sharper in this game compared to his recent start against the Washington Nationals. Against the Rangers, his fastball induced 10 swings and misses, a promising sign of its effectiveness.
I thought it was really good. We were mixing locations well, controlling the velocity effectively, and hitting the right spots, Cole said.
With this victory, the Yankees momentarily reclaim the division lead from the Baltimore Orioles.
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