On Friday, ace Gerrit Cole delivered the kind of performance the New York Yankees envisioned when they signed him. But his masterful World Series outing in pinstripes ended without the victory it deserved in a 6-3, 10-inning loss to the Dodgers on Friday night.
The Yankees’ ace demonstrated his elite form, allowing just one run over six-plus innings while throwing 88 pitches with precision. Cole’s command was impeccable as he worked through the powerful Dodgers lineup without issuing a walk, though he recorded a modest four strikeouts.
After surrendering a two-out triple to Freddie Freeman in the first inning, Cole settled into a dominant rhythm, retiring 11 consecutive batters. His only blemish came after Kike Hernandez’s triple to right field, followed by Will Smith’s sacrifice fly in the middle innings.
“I felt pretty good,’’ the Yankees ace told after the game. “I thought I made a lot of really good pitches. It was nice to come out crisp and give us a chance to win. [The loss] hurts, but it’s one game.”
The start marked the Yankees ace’s return to the World Series stage since his 2019 appearance with Houston, where he had similarly stifled Washington with a one-run performance over seven innings in Game 5.
Yankees Manager Aaron Boone noted signs of fatigue in Cole’s final frames, particularly in his last 20-30 pitches, leading to the decision to remove him after facing one batter in the seventh. Clay Holmes preserved Cole’s lead temporarily, but the bullpen couldn’t maintain the advantage, surrendering the tying run in the eighth before the eventual extra-inning collapse.
Cole’s efficiency and effectiveness could prove crucial for the Yankees’ pitching strategy against the Dodgers’ patchwork rotation as the series progresses, though the immediate opportunity for a crucial road victory slipped away.
The game featured early drama when Cole survived a threatening drive to center field by Shohei Ohtani in the first inning, saved by Aaron Judge’s catch, and escaped further trouble when shortstop Anthony Volpe snared Teoscar Hernandez’s liner with Freeman stranded at third.
Chaotic Cortes wastes Cole’s Yankees gem
Nestor Cortes‘ dramatic return from an elbow injury for the World Series ended in heartbreak Friday night, as Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam handed the Yankees a 6-3 loss in the series opener at Dodger Stadium.
The left-hander, who acknowledged taking calculated risks with his health for a chance at a championship ring, found himself thrust into a crucial moment despite not having pitched since his injury. His appearance came without warning, facing the formidable top of the Dodgers’ lineup in extra innings.
Initially, the gamble appeared promising. Cortes retired Shohei Ohtani on a popup, aided by Alex Verdugo’s spectacular diving catch in left field. However, Freeman turned on Cortes’ first pitch for the game-winning blast after an intentional walk to Mookie Betts — a strategic decision by manager Aaron Boone to create a left-on-left matchup.
The Yankees pitcher later acknowledged that his pitch location to Freeman needed to be higher, though he maintained it wasn’t a poor pitch overall. Despite the devastating outcome, Cortes expressed confidence in his physical condition and eagerness for future opportunities in the series.
“I knew this runway was for me,’’ the Yankees lefty said. “Once I got in, I had all the confidence in the world. I didn’t get it done, but I’ll come back. The pitch to Freeman, I wish I would have thrown it higher. He put a good swing on it.”
The uncertainty surrounding Cortes’ availability for the remainder of the series adds another layer of complexity to the Yankees’ pitching strategy. While the southpaw remains optimistic about his ability to contribute, his usage will likely depend on how his elbow responds to this first high-stakes appearance.
The defeat underscores the high-risk, high-reward nature of the Yankees’ decision to activate Cortes for baseball’s biggest stage, despite his incomplete recovery from the elbow injury.
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