The New York Yankees were hoping for a strong start to the American League Division Series, but their ace Gerrit Cole struggled to find his dominant form in Game 1 against the Kansas City Royals. Saturday night at Yankee Stadium, the Royals’ bats had Cole on edge early, signaling a challenging outing ahead.
In the first inning, although Gerrit Cole retired the side in order, Michael Massey, Bobby Witt Jr., and Vinnie Pasquantino all made hard contact, each recording exit velocities over 100 mph. It was an omen for what would be a long night for Cole and the Yankees.
Gerrit Cole struggles to contain Royals’ offense
Gerrit Cole’s night ended after five innings, allowing seven hits, four runs (three earned), while walking two and striking out four on 80 pitches. The reigning Cy Young Award winner allowed 11 hard-hit balls, including a pivotal two-run home run to MJ Melendez in the fourth inning that gave the Royals the lead. In total, Cole generated only six swings and misses, a sign that his pitches weren’t fooling Kansas City hitters.
The Yankees’ ace mixed his offerings in an effort to keep the Royals off-balance, throwing 33 four-seam fastballs, 19 knuckle-curves, 17 cutters, and 10 sliders. Despite the varied pitch mix, Gerrit Cole struggled to command his repertoire effectively against a disciplined Royals lineup.
Before Saturday’s game, Gerrit Cole had a stellar track record in the ALDS, posting a 6-0 record with a 1.71 ERA across 47.1 innings in his career, striking out over 39% of the batters he faced. Unfortunately, that dominance was absent as Cole’s night ended in the sixth inning, following a line-drive single off the wall by Yuli Gurriel.
It wasn’t the performance Gerrit Cole or the Yankees were hoping for, especially with high postseason expectations. Now, New York finds themselves trailing in the series, needing to regroup quickly to avoid falling into a deeper hole.
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