Gerrit Cole Has Arrived to Make the Yankees That Much Better

For the first time since September 27, 2023, Yankees Ace and Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole took the mound. In front of the Yankees faithful, Cole was welcomed back against a divisional foe in Baltimore, going four innings and throwing 62 pitches.

Nervous, or more likely, an uncontrollable amount of adrenaline, leading to a less-than-normal start for Cole. After a single by leadoff hitter Gunnar Henderson, Ryan O’Hearn drove in the first run with a double to left center field. Cole allowed some hard contact (109.1 mph, 105 mph, and 102.3 mph) in the first before settling in.

The second inning was a quick, six-pitch inning with a pop-out, line-out, and fantastic play by Anthony Volpe to retire the side in order. Without a swing and miss through two, Cole started to click in the third.

A nasty cutter sat down Jorge Mateo swinging, knuckle curve for strike three against Adley Rutschman, and a slider fooled Ryan Mountcastle for the third-straight strikeout. On his way back to the dugout, a little strut for Cole told me all I needed to know. Cole was back.

Gerrit Cole's 3Ks in the 3rd. pic.twitter.com/zUw3Fjdwjt

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 20, 2024

Cole returned in the fourth and added two more strikeouts to his ledger. Anthony Santander and Colton Cowser went down swinging, both on a fastball. Cole had officially found his grove but was cautiously pulled after surrendering a hit to begin the fifth.

Gerrit Cole ⛽️

4th and 5th Ks pic.twitter.com/0vJ42eOtiI

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 20, 2024

While it’s only one start and four innings, Yankee fans should be excited about what they saw Wednesday night. Cole posted a 31% CSW% without any concerning red flags. No signs of laboring or frustration, but instead, poise and confidence. While it was not perfect, and his velocity was down a bit, the outing went well for someone who hasn’t pitched since September.

What Does Cole’s Return Mean for the Yankees

The Yankees are in first place, and their 51 wins are the most in baseball. Their rotation before the Cole addition had no pitcher with an ERA over 3.40. Carlos Rodon has made a strong return, Nestor Cortes has put a frustrating 2023 behind him, and Luis Gil has broken out to the tune of a 2.03 ERA across 14 starts. The rotation looks like the best in baseball, replacing an injured Clarke Schmidt with a Cy Young winner.

Not only are the Yankees getting back one of the best pitchers in baseball, but they can now manage the rotation much more comfortably. Once Clarke returns, the team can pivot toward limiting Gil’s innings. Gil had Tommy John surgery in 2022 and has already nearly tripled his innings from 2022-2023. A move to the bullpen is not out of the question.

Although the Yankees have had sustained success and even 100-win seasons, in recent memory, they haven’t felt like “THE Yankees” in a while. The team that bullies their way to the postseason and targets your favorite team’s star in a trade. It is a true powerhouse and a clear favorite. That changes now.

This Yankees team has a certain moxie to it. They have an elite rotation, star power, and Jasson Dominguez in their back pocket. Sure, there are areas for improvement. Now Anthony Rizzo is swirling, Gleyber Torres is underperforming, and their bench could use some help. But doesn’t it feel different?

New York fans are hungry for a championship. While 2009 doesn’t seem like long ago for most, it’s an eternity for Yankees fans. This season is lining up to be the year Brian Cashman makes a move or moves that truly establish the Yankees as solidified World Series favorites.

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