A $324 million contract that lasts for nine years brings in a lot of responsibilities. No one knows it better than Gerrit Cole, who fans expect to carry a huge load as the New York Yankees seek to win their first World Series since 2009.
In Game 1 of their ALDS series against the Cleveland Guardians, he was able to get them out of a tight spot. After Steven Kwan hit a homer over the right-field fence in the third inning, the Guardians’ offense started to get going. Early in the game, Cleveland loaded the bases against Gerrit Cole, which looked like it could blow the game wide open. However, Cole kept his cool and struck out the Guardians’ breakout second baseman, Andres Gimenez, to end the inning.
After the game, Gerrit Cole talked about what was going through his mind and revealed how he was able to stay so calm during a high-pressure moment. He told to ESPN:
“I prepared myself for traffic. I certainly had quite a bit of it, too many experiences with traffic this year. You do what you normally do. We were really clear on what pitches we wanted to execute in those situations.”
Gerrit Cole got a lot tougher because he pitched in the AL East, which is the most competitive division in baseball. The Rays, the Blue Jays, and the Orioles scored more than above .500 this season. Even though the Red Sox were not at their best this year, they just played in the 2021 ALCS, making them still tough opponents.
The 32-year-old starting pitcher had to deliver for the Yankees because he is their number-one starting pitcher. Despite making it to the postseason in the previous few years and still not having won a World Series title, Gerrit Cole has made it to the postseason in recent years. In addition, Cole has been a lifelong supporter of the New York Yankees, and he would feel a great sense of accomplishment if he could contribute in some way to the Yankees’ quest to win their 28th world championship.
The starting pitcher told:
“It was very special for me. It was very special. The game’s not over, left with traffic. It’s not the most comfortable time to acknowledge the crowd, but I certainly felt it and appreciate it. I thought they were in every pitch tonight, and what a wonderful experience to have them behind us.”
Gerrit Cole loves to pitch, but he hopes that the Yankees should wind up their ALDS win finish as soon as possible so that he won’t have to face the Guardians in the fourth game.
How do you rate Gerrit Cole’s Game 1 performance?
