Ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Yankees announced that starting pitcher Gerrit Cole would be scratched from his next outing. Cole does not expect to land on the injured list, but he is simply not recovering as well between starts at this point in the season.
The Yankees Are Still Working Cole Back
Cole had recently dealt with a similar issue, eventually being placed on the IL with right elbow inflammation. It took months for him to rebound effectively. The team is attributing his current condition to general body fatigue.
Cole’s Season Performance
Over seven starts this season, Cole has pitched 35 innings with a 5.40 ERA. His underlying metrics look decent, but he has been significantly challenged on a few occasions, most recently giving up six earned runs and three homers against the Mets on July 24. The Yankees will undoubtedly give him a bit more time to return to his usual form.
“I would sum it up as, it’s still early for me. I’m six starts in and I’ve just hit my max capacity of pitches three times in a row. So it’s early.”
Introducing Prospect Will Warren
In his place, the Yankees called up one of their top pitching prospects, Will Warren. The 25-year-old right-handed pitcher has thrown 95.2 innings in Triple-A this season, recording a 6.11 ERA, 10.82 strikeouts per nine, a 60.8% left-on-base rate, and a 47.7% ground ball rate. Transitioning from facing Triple-A talent to a dominant Philadelphia team, Warren will certainly have his work cut out for him on Tuesday night, but the Yankees’ offense has been red hot and should provide some support.
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Warren’s Promising Track Record
Last season, Warren posted a 3.61 ERA over 99.2 innings in Triple-A, demonstrating considerable promise. A step in the right direction now may significantly boost his stock as a potential member of next year’s rotation or as a supplementary option for the rest of the season.