Yankees’ Gerrit Cole reflects on Wednesday’s rough outing: ‘S–t happened’

The Yankees‘ ace is struggling at probably the worst possible time.

After Gerrit Cole allowed five earned runs in six innings on Wednesday night in a loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, he now has a 7.64 ERA in his last three outings (15 earned runs/17.2 innings).

And he knows he needs to be better, especially with potential postseason games less than a week away.

“The bottom line is margin of error against super good clubs is very small, so one of two things has to happen – I have to execute a better pitch, or I have to execute a different pitch,” Cole said when asked about his fastball being hit on Wednesday.

Considering the shortened season last year, it may be possible that Cole is running out of gas – but he says that’s not the case.

“I think we’re running into some really tough teams, and I just was not quite sharp enough tonight, that’s the bottom line. I think I certainly showed the ability to make the pitches that we needed to over the course of the game,” he said. “I just didn’t make enough of them when we wanted to. Physically, I think velocity’s in a good spot. Things have rebounded well since a couple of those injury mishaps. … I just gotta make good pitches at the right time.”

Manager Aaron Boone echoed those sentiments.

“I think he’s in a pretty good spot. Obviously he missed some time there with COVID and he missed a start with the hammy, but no, I think stuff wise and I think physically, he’s in a pretty good spot. Got dinged on a couple homers today, but I think he’s physically anyway where he should be this time of year,” Boone said.

Despite the rough outing on Wednesday, Cole was able to get through six innings and keep the Yankees in the ball game – after trailing 4-0, they did tie the game at five, and had the lead run at the plate in the top of the ninth.

“I’m certainly frustrated with how I performed tonight, but I’m not frustrated with keeping us in the game the best we can. … I’m sufficiently frustrated enough to really make sure that we bring out better execution and just be better the next time we get the opportunity to throw the ball, but I guess maybe right now, s— happened, and you gotta figure out how to keep your boys there so that we have the opportunity to do what we did tonight,” Cole said. “Because in a postseason game, maybe that stroke comes from or maybe that stroke comes from [Aaron] Judge or somebody from the bottom of the order, and the score goes in our favor instead of theirs, and we’re all pretty pumped battling through something like that if we get the win in that situation.”

His next start is going to be in either the final game of the regular season (on three-day’s rest, which he said he’ll be ready for), a Game 163, or the AL Wild Card Game.