The New York Yankees are 7-0 on the season at home, showing how dominant they are when featuring in the Bronx. However, starter Gerrit Cole continued his tour of perfection.
Cole has 20 straight wins in the MLB, earning his last one of the Boston Red Sox 10-3 on Friday night. He is currently 4-0 on the season, featuring a 2.76 ERA, recording 34 strikeouts, and allowing nine earned runs over 29.1 innings.
“It was a tight game for a while,” Cole said. “We needed to make some pitches and we did.”
Everyone around Cole notices how much quality he brings to the team. From his mental approach to his strict training regimen, he is the epitome of being a Yankee.
“Best pitcher in the game and that’s what you’re seeing,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “You’re seeing a guy that’s great at his craft with elite stuff and the ability to command it.”
The Yankees spent a lofty $324 million over nine-years for the former Houston Astro. He’s clearly one of the best starters in baseball and has significantly helped the Yankees this season. With other starters struggling to reach their potential, Cole has managed to create some semblance of consistency in the rotation. The closest to being above average is Masahiro Tanaka, who currently hosts a 2.31 ERA with 11 strikeouts over 11.2 innings.
Having pitched about 1/3 of the innings Cole has, Masahiro has put together several solid performances so far. However, the Yankees haven’t been able to rely on options like James Paxton, JA Happ, or Jordan Montgomery. While there’s plenty of time left for them to regain their form entering the postseason, a lack of starting quality could be problematic moving forward. It forces Boone to activate the bullpen and sift through arms more aggressively, which directly leads to fatigue.
Through 17 games, the Yankees haven’t been able to rely on relief pitchers Jonathan Holder and David Hale. Losing Tommy Kahnle to Tommy John surgery was a brutal loss, but the return of Aroldis Chapman will be welcomed next week.