After struggling offensively against the Toronto Blue Jays Monday night, the New York Yankees returned to their previous form, posting a 12 spot on Tuesday evening. With Gerrit Cole on the mound, the Bombers were always a favorite, and he did not disappoint, lasting 7.0 innings and allowing five hits and one run. He also tallied seven strikeouts over 108 pitches. He will finish the regular season with a 2.84 ERA, the first Yankee to qualify for the ERA title since David Cone (2.82) in 1997, per Katie Sharp.
If this is Gerrit Cole's final start …
Cole finishes with a 2.84 ERA. He's the first Yankee to qualify for ERA title with an ERA that low since David Cone (2.82) in 1997.
(and yes I know it is a shortened season)
— Katie Sharp (@ktsharp) September 23, 2020
With the Yankees having clinched a postseason berth already, they can continue forward comfortably knowing they are playing for better seeding.
FINAL SCORE: 12-1
Good news and bad news for the New York Yankees:
GOOD NEWS:
There was plenty of good news in Tuesday’s win, as the Yankees posted 14 hits and 12 runs. They thrashed Blue Jays pitcher Tanner Roark over 4.1 innings, racking up seven hits and six earned runs. They quickly knocked Roark out of the game, continuing their offensive presence over the next few innings. While the Yankees did strike out 10 times overall, they scored zero runs off homers, an interesting development.
The Bombers did an excellent job of getting on base and hitting with runners in scoring position, which has been tough for them during this abbreviated season. Multiple Yankees had at least two hits, including Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, Gleyber Torres, Gio Urshela, and Kyle Higashioka.
It seems as if backup catcher Higashioka has cemented himself in the lineup when Cole is pitching. He has been solid offensively as well, currently hosting a .273 average and a .568 slugging percentage.
In addition, Aaron Judge managed to score from first base in the first inning, showing off his speed and alleviating any concerns over his injured calf. With the Yankees currently the fifth seed in the AL Division, they’re picking up momentum at the perfect time.
BAD NEWS:
There wasn’t much bad news in the victory over Toronto. If we are picking at straws, Luke Voit failed to get on base and struck out two times. Voit has been a consistent player this year and has picked up the Yankees when others were injured or failing to produce, so he has earned the right to an anomaly of a poor performance this season.
The only other relevant bad news would be for Gary Sanchez, who will likely be replaced for Higgy when Gerrit Cole features in game one of the postseason.