PUT IT IN THE BLANK
Cole continues automatic start to season, with complete game shutout of Twins
Gerrit Cole’s command of his pitches has him in total command of his opponents.
The Yankees ace continued his dominant start to the season on Sunday afternoon, firing a shutout with 10 strikeouts on the way to a 2-0 win over the Twins in The Bronx.
Cole allowed just three base runners all day — on two harmless singles and a walk — and recorded 27 outs on 109 pitches for his fourth career completegame shutout.
“It’s just old school,” Cole said. “But we had our work cut out for us today. We were facing a great team and a great pitcher [Pablo Lopez], so just more satisfied with the win.”
Cole shut down a Twins lineup that had exploded for 11 runs just three days earlier, allowing the Yankees (10-6) to earn a series split. He did so with a sharp fastball, spotting it just about wherever he wanted to and using it for seven of his strikeouts while mixing in a quality curveball, slider and changeup.
“When he’s able to do that, throw the fastball in all locations, it definitely opens up a lot of stuff,” catcher Jose Trevino said.
Through his first four starts, Cole has given up just three runs across 28 ¹/₃ innings (good for a 0.95 ERA) while striking out 32. He became the first Yankees pitcher in franchise history to record a sub-1.00 ERA and at least 30 strikeouts through his first four appearances of a season since the earned run became an official stat in 1913.
“That’s a big-time performance right there,” manager Aaron Boone said. “A special pitcher and he’s just in a really locked-in, focused place.”
Throughout spring training, the Yankees were encouraged by the spot Cole found himself in both physically and mentally, feeling more settled in his first fully normal camp with the team. The good vibes have translated into the first month of the regular season, and then some, with Cole looking every bit of a $324 million pitcher.
The right-hander, who tied Ron Guidry for the franchise record with his 23rd double-digit strikeout game as a Yankee, attributed his improved command to having “a bit more conviction.” Though he gave up a pair of fly balls to the warning track in right field Sunday — looking relieved that neither found the short porch
— Cole has yet to allow a home run this season after getting tagged for an ALhigh 33 last season.
“Whatever happens out there — and look, a lot of things obviously went right today, so there wasn’t a lot of adversity — but he’s just handling situation after situation so well,” Boone said. “His fastball command and the fact that he’s pressuring it in a lot of different places in the strike zone has been huge for him.”
The Yankees had bullpen action in the eighth inning, but Cole came back out for the ninth at 98 pitches. Boone had Clay Holmes ready to go if Cole could not retire Carlos Correa, batting third in the inning, but instead his flyout ended the game.
Cole, who didn’t give up a hit until there were two outs in the fifth inning, didn’t need much offense. But DJ LeMahieu was responsible for all of it, singling home Aaron Judge for the 1-0 lead in the third inning and then smacking a solo home run off the top of the right-field wall against Lopez in the sixth.
With the way Cole was carving up the Twins, that was all he needed to move to 4-0 on the season.
“He was great,” LeMahieu said. “About as good as you can pitch. He was impressive and I’m glad he could finish it off there for the ‘CG.’ ”