The Yankees were dominating the Texas Rangers on Monday evening, leading 7-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning when starting pitcher Gerrit Cole unexpectedly removed himself from the game during his pre-inning warm-up.
Cole’s Sudden Exit and the Yankees’ Rotation
Cole was on the mound, tossing a few warm-up pitches, when he suddenly grabbed his lower leg, seemingly indicating a calf injury. He then walked off the field under his own power. It was very hot in Texas, so it’s possible he was cramping in his lower leg — that’s obviously a best-case scenario.
Prior to his exit, Cole had delivered a tremendous performance, allowing just one earned run over six innings, striking out nine batters, and giving up only four hits. He had thrown 82 pitches, 56 of which were strikes, effectively lowering his ERA to 3.65 for the evening. The 33-year-old, who had pitched 69 innings this season before the game, came into the night with a 3.86 ERA.
Concerns as Postseason Approaches
With just one month left before the postseason, the Yankees cannot afford to lose Cole for an extended period. His potential injury is certainly a concerning situation for the team, as they desperately need to avoid a significant setback and hope for his swift return.
Reinforcements on the Horizon
Fortunately, the Yankees are expecting the return of Clarke Schmidt and Luis Gil this upcoming weekend. These essential reinforcements will provide the team with the support needed to manage Cole’s absence in the near term, should it be necessary.