New York Yankees new ace Gerrit Cole is different than a majority of major league players. His focus and love of hard work pay off on game day frequently, and he showed a bit of his potential on Sunday afternoon during a hot intrasquad exhibition game.
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Cole has worked extensively to prepare for a condensed 2020 season that will require him to remain healthy and dominant with little room for weakness. Losing one game can be significant to a team’s chances of earning a playoff spot, so the Yankees have to be at the peak of their game if they wish to make their first World Series appearance in over a decade.
However, a pitcher sometimes is only as good as their catcher, and the relationship developing between Cole and Gary Sanchez is encouraging.
“It’s been nice to work with him the last couple times,’’ Cole said. “I thought we were on the same page a lot today. And the few times we weren’t, we discussed it between innings, which was helpful.â€
The New York Yankees are seeing exactly what they needed to see from Cole
Cole was excellent in his outing on Sunday, striking out nine batters after allowing a few hits to start the game. Once he got into his rhythm and located his fastball, there was not a single player that could stand a chance against him and his commanding arm.
He showed the Yankees why they invested $324 million over nine-years to land him. Despite his efficiency, Cole credited Sanchez for his work behind the plate. The ace has one more outing before July 23, opening day game against the Washington Nationals.
Hopefully, Cole still has a sour taste in his mouth from losing to the Washington Washington in the World Series last year. If he is bringing over any frustration and anger, hopefully, it comes out in the Yankees’ first game of the regular season.
I expect both Cole and Sanchez to continue working together and developing chemistry. The pitcher also praised his defensive abilities stating he “was sharp behind the plate.â€
Considering he managed to pitch over five innings of baseball, that is a great sign that he is trending toward midseason form. The Yankees will need him to pitch as long as possible during his outings to help keep the other arms available and healthy.