Cole struggles with grip as spin rate drops

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — His spin rate down, Yankees ace Gerrit Cole said he had difficulty gripping baseballs on a windy night as he beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2.

Cole’s fastball spin rate averaged 2,342 rpm on Wednesday, according to the MLB Statcast, down from 2,496 on June 9; 2,439 on June 3; 2,529 on May 28 and 2,544 on May 22.

His curveball averaged 2,695, down from 2,838 on June 9; 2,763 on June 3; 2,807 on May 28 and 2,825 on May 22.

Major League Baseball started talking June 3 of a crackdown on use of illegal foreign substances to doctor baseballs and told teams on Tuesday that pitchers will be ejected and suspended for 10 games for violations starting Monday.

“It’s so hard to grip the ball,” Cole said. “I mean, for Pete’s sake, it’s part of the reason why almost every player on the field has something, regardless if they’re a pitcher or not, to help them help control the ball. I don’t have a solution, but again, we are aligned in a lot of areas with the commissioner’s office on this, and please just talk to us, please just work with us. I know you have the hammer here, but we’ve been living in a gray area for so long, I would just hate to see players get hurt.

“I would I hate to see balls start flying at people’s heads. I had a really tough time gripping the baseball tonight, especially early when it was windy.”

Cole allowed two runs and four hits in eight innings, giving up solo homers in the first and sixth innings.