Gerrit Cole was back at Yankee Stadium for the first time this season and looked pretty sharp outside of a rough first inning.
The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner — who was on a pitch count limit in his season debut — threw 62 pitches in four innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs, while striking out five and walking one in an extra inning. 7-6 loss to the Orioles on Wednesday night.
But for Cole, it was something of a landmark night following his months-long rehabilitation from nerve irritation in his right arm during spring training.
“It was nice [to be back],” Cole said. “It was a special game for me for a long few months. Many emotions. I wasn’t really sure how I would feel out there, but spotting the ball calms the nerves a bit.”
The Yankees right-hander struggled out of the gate, allowing a leadoff double to Gunnar Henderson and an RBI double for Ryan O’Hearn in the first round that put the Bronx Bombers in a 1-0 hole.
Cole settled in later with a 1-2-3 second inning and then began to look like his vintage self — striking out five of the next seven batters he faced in the third and fourth innings, reaching 97 mph with his fastball.
“I felt really good,” he said. “…I thought I held up well. Certainly, a different level just requires a higher level of focus and execution. I felt like I could definitely keep making pitches, but [we’re being] strategic in counting pitches and in that aspect we executed perfectly.”
He started the fifth inning, but after allowing a leadoff single to Cedric MullinsYankees coach Aaron Boone I decided to go to the bullpen and call it a night for Cole. Mullins would later score on a home run from Ramon Urias against Ron Marinaccio.
When Cole returned to the dugout, he looked frustrated and asked for one more, but said it was more frustration at letting Mullins beat him.
“Probably just a little frustration with the cat and mouse game [game],” Cole explained. “Cedric got me on the high, fast ball again.”
Cole is scheduled to play next Tuesday against the Mets, which both Cole and Boone said will remain on the pitch count, though neither specified what that might be.
