The New York Yankees beat the intrasquad Bombers 2-1 in an afternoon game at Yankee Stadium. It was the first intrasquad game that felt like a real ball game. All position players were in their place and they had actual umpires albeit from the minor leagues.
More than just a game it was the Gerrit Cole Show, as he dominated for 5 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts and only one walk. He ended up with his longest outing of the summer camp with 84 pitches. He also pitched 2/3s of the six-inning as he started to tire. Dan Otero came in to finish off the scoreless outing.
The Bombers started prospect, Micheal King. King was sharp as well going three scoreless innings. King in an after-game interview talked about how Cole is talking pitching with the other pitchers and teaching them tips. One he mentioned, in particular, is that you shouldn’t practice your slider on flat ground, because it comes out of the hand entirely differently on the mound.
Nick Tropeano took over for King and gave up the two runs that the Yankees got. Zack Granite walked and stole second and scored Luke Voit walked and then on double steal Voit scored. In a regular-season game that outcome would not have taking place. As the hefty Voit barreled toward home, the catcher Erik Kratz, in a smart move stepped back and let Voit score. To do otherwise, he would have had a collision with Voit that would have surely resulted in an out. In the move, he avoided possible injury to Voit in a game that doesn’t count.
In two great defensive plays, Estevan Florial and Zack Granite both made impressive plays from the right field. Florial in his throw showed Judge-like arm strength, throw our Luke Voit trying to make third from first base. Voit may be slimmed down but his speed has not improved, he was out by nearly twenty feet.
So far in all the New York Yankees intrasquad games, the Yankees pitchers are looking really sharp. Cole, Clarke Schmidt, Paxton, Happ, and Micheal King have all looked sharp. It is clear that the Yankee pitchers are further ahead in their game readiness than the hitters that are just getting the feel for their hitting. This game featured the most hitting so far in summer camp. As side note so far, Thairo Estrada is the New York Yankees summer camp hitting star with three homers leading the team.
Gerrit Cole in an after-game interview said he felt good and was locating his pitches as he wanted to. He said he did feel a bit tired starting the sixth inning. He also offered that he felt ready to start the regular season when he faces the Washington National’s Max Scherzer on opening day in D.C. on July 23rd.
Cole may pitch again next Saturday in the New York Yankees exhibition game against the cross-town rival New York Mets. This would put him in line for the Washington D.C. Opening day. If he pitches earlier than that, it would give him at least six days rest before the opening day outing.