YANKS CAN’T
Cole puts his name in Yankee record books
OAKLAND —It’s been a series of milestones for the Yankees. They won 13 games in a row for the first time since 1961. Aroldis Chapman recorded his 300th save on Thursday. On Friday, Gerrit Cole hit a nice, round number in a statistical category as well.
With his swinging strikeout of Sean Murphy to end the sixth inning, Cole hit 200 strikeouts on the season. It’s a number that many pitchers strive to hit at the outset of the season. But for Cole, who’s fanned 200 batters in a season four times now, it felt almost like a foregone conclusion. The Yankees’ ace, who had 326 K’s with the Astros in 2019, does not consider 200 to be any sort of magic number.
“No, it’s not a goal,” Cole deadpanned. “It’s just my job.”
Still, he said he was aware that he was getting close to the number during his start on Friday. The ubiquity of statistics made it impossible for Cole to ignore.
“Yeah, it’s on the board, so…” Cole admitted. “When I’m checking the velo to make sure everything’s coming in at different speeds, it’s right there.”
While he downplays the accomplishment, Cole did carve out a place in Yankee history with his rapid strikeout rate. He got his 200th in his 24th start of the season, making him the fastest Yankee pitcher to get to 200 in a season. David Cone previously had the fewest number of starts needed to reach 200, which he did so in 25 starts in 1997. When that was brought to his attention in the Friday postgame Zoom room, Cole acknowledged that setting any Yankee record is meaningful.
“It’s pretty special in this organization, we’re running out of [jersey] numbers for Pete’s sake,” Cole said. “It’s a special little record. I’m glad that we can push things forward in that regard, from a Yankees perspective. For me, I’m just trying to go out there and throw a quality start. If the strikeout is the most efficient way to get it, so be it.”
BULLPEN IS MIGHTIER
During the win streak, the Yankees four most-used relievers (Jonathan Loaisiga, Chad Green, Wandy Peralta and Albert Abreu) allowed just four earned runs in 27.2 combined innings (1.30 ERA). Six different relievers earned a save too, giving manager Aaron Boone a long list of arms he feels comfortable deploying.
Green has been especially tough for hitters to figure out. Since Aug. 13, the day the streak began, he’s struck out 12, allowed six hits and walked one batter in his eight innings of work.
“I do like where we are across the board,” Boone said of his bullpen. “Part of that has been some struggles and injuries we’ve had to work around so it’s forced some guys into situations. I look down there and feel good about some of the options we have, especially when we can shoot them at different parts of the lineup. I like our depth down there.”
WEST COAST BEST COAST
The Yankees were 4-1 this season in the Pacific Time Zone prior to dropping Saturday’s matinee. After a pandemic season without any West Coast road trips, the Yankees have acclimated well to Washington and California again.
The team took two of three in Seattle back in early July and handled the A’s in both of their first two games in Oakland. This could portend good things for the Yankees’ next series as well, a three-game set in Anaheim that kicks off on Monday.
Each California-born member of the Yankees’ active roster has played well in their return to the Golden State. Cole (a Newport Beach native) tossed his six scoreless on Friday, while Aaron Judge (Linden), Giancarlo Stanton (Sherman Oaks) and Kyle Higashioka (Huntington Beach) all homered. Murrieta-born Tyler Wade had a big stolen base on Thursday that ended up leading to the winning run, making their California-bred manager ecstatic.