The New York Yankees will turn to Gerrit Cole to open their American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, with the veteran right-hander scheduled to start Game 1 on Saturday at Tropicana Field.
The Yankees had a choice between Cole and Carlos Rodón after sweeping the Boston Red Sox in the American League Wild Card Series. Cole was originally lined up to start a potential third game against the Red Sox, but the Yankees never needed to use him.
Cole’s return from Tommy John surgery produced a 3.61 ERA over 22 starts during the regular season. The 36-year-old right-hander showed flashes of his previous form, although he allowed seven home runs across two starts in early September.
Rodón also gave the Yankees a strong alternative after finishing the regular season with a 1.42 ERA across his final four starts. He also threw eight scoreless innings against Tampa Bay during the final week of the regular season.
Rodón is expected to start either Game 3 or Game 4 atYankee Stadium. Cam Schlittler is in line for Game 2 and could also start a potential Game 5, while Max Fried could take either Game 3 or Game 4 on extended rest.
Cole enters the postseason with a 2.77 career ERA in playoff appearances, giving New York another reason to hand him the ball in the opening game.
The matchup also presents an interesting challenge. Tampa Bay posted a .678 on-base-plus-slugging percentage against left-handed pitching during the regular season compared with .751 against right-handers. The Rays also had the lowest swing-and-miss rate in the league at 20.7 percent, while Cole finished the season with a 21.3 percent whiff rate.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.