Yankees extend Royals streak to 14 with Cole’s efficient return
Gerrit Cole delivers 6 2/3 scoreless innings as New York defeats Kansas City 7-0, though manager Aaron Boone insists on a cautious approach to the ace’s workload.
New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole delivered a scoreless performance in his second major league start following Tommy John surgery, leading the Yankees to a 7-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Cole, 35, pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and striking out 10 batters without issuing a walk. The win marked the Yankees' 14th consecutive victory against Kansas City.
Manager Aaron Boone praised Cole's efficiency and command, noting the team's cautious approach to managing his workload upon his return from injury. Boone described the outing as the "main course" compared to Cole's first start back against Tampa Bay, highlighting the pitcher's ability to mix fastballs, breaking balls, and change-ups effectively.
Cole required only 79 pitches to complete 6 2/3 innings, throwing first-pitch strikes to 16 of 23 batters faced. Despite the dominant performance, the Yankees chose not to push the pitcher deeper into the game, prioritising the long-term health of his right elbow over extending his outing against the struggling Royals.
The Yankees' offensive output was significantly lower than in their previous game, a 15-1 win where every player in the starting lineup recorded at least two hits. Instead, New York relied on a single by Paul Goldschmidt, a triple by Ben Rice, and a sacrifice fly by Aaron Judge for their runs, with additional scoring coming after Cole departed the mound.
Cole, a former Cy Young Award winner, was quick to temper expectations regarding his return. He described the performance as a "small sample size" and emphasised the need to take things one outing at a time, acknowledging that while his command was sharp, there is still work to be done as he resumes his regular season schedule.
