Even before the Yankees won Thursday’s Game 4 to force a Game 5 against the Rays in their ALDS matchup (NY 5, TB 1), they were already making plans for that potential winner-take-all game on Friday. Specifically, ace Gerrit Cole sounded ready and willing to make the start on short rest for the Yankees.
“Give me the ball,” Cole told Yankees manager Aaron Boone, according to The Athletic’s Lindsey Adler.
Cole, who signed a $324 million free agent contract with the Yankees last winter, pitched to a 2.84 ERA/151 ERA+ during the regular season with 94 strikeouts in 73 innings. Throw in his still elite spin rate and dominating stuff, and Cole’s still very much a certifiable ace.
While he wasn’t quite his usual self in his Game 1 start against the Rays (6 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 8 SO, 2 BB), he’s still the best the injury-compromised Yankee rotation can offer. Of note is that Cole has never made a start on fewer that four days’ rest, regular season or postseason. In that sense, he’s venturing into the unknown, but making the necessary adjustments has surely been under consideration since Cole exited that Game 1 start.
“It’s a special opportunity,” Cole told reporters, including MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, following Game 4. “I think everyone’s feeling like it’s going to be a special game, a big game for us. You always want to be out there in the big moment.”
Slugger Luke Voit, who opened the scoring in Game 4 with a solo home run, went so far as the guarantee the Yankees will Game 5. A bold statement, to be sure, but it shows the Yankees are feeling confident.
“We’re gonna win it,” Voit told reporters. “We probably plan to have Gerrit on the mound, and that’s the best situation possible for us.”
Tampa will counter Cole with Tyler Glasnow in Game 5. Glasnow started Game 2 and threw 93 pitches in five innings. He will be on two days’ rest in Game 5, though it will be his usual between-starts throw day. Glasnow is expected to function as an opener more than a full-fledged starter who will go deep into the game. Manager Kevin Cash called it an “all hands on deck” game.
