Boone hoping for Cole repeat
If Gerrit Cole can repeat his last outing on Tuesday night against the Braves in Atlanta, Aaron Boone wouldn’t likely have a problem if his ace also voices displeasure about being lifted in the seventh inning.
Boone replaced Cole with lefty Zack Britton to face Tampa Bay’s left-handed hitting Austin Meadows last Wednesday with a runner on first, two outs and the score tied, 2-2.
“I was in good position to finish it,’’ said Cole, who allowed two runs, six hits, walked one, struck out 10 and was very animated in the dugout after being removed. “[Boone] made the move before he even got out there, so it didn’t really matter whatever I said to him on the mound. What I said in my glove I will leave it at that.’’
Britton retired Meadows, but gave up two runs in the eighth and suffered a left hamstring injury that landed him on the injured list — and the loss.
BoonewilltakearepeatofthatoutingagainsttheNL East-leading Braves (16-12) when the Yankees (16-9) attempt to break a season-high three-game losing streak. The Yankees are in first place by percentage points.
It will be their first game since last Thursday after the three-game Subway Series against the Mets at
Citi Field scheduled for last weekend was postponed when two members of the Mets’ traveling party tested positive for the coronavirus. Monday was a scheduled off day.
“I thought Gerrit threw the ball incredibly well,’’ Boone said of Cole, whose 109 pitches were a season high. “I thought that was as dominant as we have seen him.’’
➤ The Yankees have teamed up with Mayor Bill de Blasio for this week’s Get Tested Tuesday initiative, whereby the first 4,000 people who get tested Tuesday (Aug. 25) for COVID-19 at Health+Hospital sites at city public hospitals will receive Yankees gear.
“Here’s something really interesting. It’s going to be a curveball. If you know me and the sport I love — baseball — you’re going to see baseball and testing come together here because a team that sometimes I’ve had some differences with because I grew up rooting for another team,” de Blasio, a noted Red Sox fan, said at a Monday press conference.
“Well, today I’m a Yankees fan because they’re doing something great to help us fight COVID-19 and I really want to thank the entire Yankees organization for stepping up.”