The New York Yankees entered the 2024 season with one of their worst nightmares coming true. Reigning AL-CY Young winner and ace Gerrit Cole’s durability was put to the test for the first time in many years as the pitcher banged up his elbow in spring, leading to 10-12 weeks of absence.
However, interestingly and rather surprisingly, the New York Yankees haven’t felt the void of Gerrit Cole this year as the rest of the rotation stepped up to exceed expectations. After a recent outing from Nestor Cortes against the Angels, the Yanks starters have set up a unique record in MLB that has never been seen before in the last century.
Yankees Starting Rotation Hits Record Streak In Gerrit Cole’s Absence!
This season, several starting pitchers have stepped up to fill the void left by injured Gerrit Cole for the New York Yankees. Nestor Cortes, Marcus Stroman, and Carlos Rodon have all delivered standout performances. Cortes, in particular, has been a revelation, mixing his deceptive delivery with pinpoint control to baffle hitters. The newest addition, Stroman, has shown remarkable resilience and command, while Rodon has bounced back exceptionally well from a bust debut season in pinstripes. Luis Gil, the minor league prospect, has been equally good and matching the major league standards of his peers remarkably well. While the Yanks rotation is responsible for setting up the lowest ERA in AL-East, Cortes’ latest start has scripted a new record.
After Nestor Cortes pitched a two-run outing against the Angels in the Yankees series opener in Anaheim, the rotation has now set a new MLB record for the most consecutive games with a quality start (five or more innings pitched while allowing two earned runs or fewer) that too without their ace Gerrit Cole. The 15-game streak has been the longest since the mound placement was adjusted back in 1893. The previous longest streak was 14 games posed by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1901, the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1968, and the New York Mets in 2022. Indeed, the remarkable streak is a testament to the consistency and effectiveness of the Yanks’ starters, even in the absence of their top pitcher, who is yet to debut this year. Moreover, in what could be a nightmare for the opposition, with Cole expected to return soon, the Yankees’ rotation is poised to become even stronger as the season progresses.
Gerrit Cole Steps Closer To Rehab Assignment
New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole has been progressing well from his elbow nerve inflammation injury since the past two months. In the latest encouraging step, he faced live hitters and threw all kinds of pitches. “We hit all our goals. We did exactly what we wanted to do today,” said Cole after his 15-pitch inning live session on Saturday.
Gerrit Cole is now scheduled to throw another live session in five days time. If all things go well, the next step for Cole is a rehab assignment which is the final hurdle of his recovery. While the ace will require a handful of rehab starts to regain rhythm, a return in June is still not being ruled out.
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