Gerrit Cole, the New York Yankees ace pitcher, made his fourth consecutive start for the Bombers on the 2023 MLB season opening day and stole the show.
The New York Yankees signed Gerrit Cole to a massive nine-year, $324 million contract prior to the 2020 season, with the hopes that he would someday lead them to a World Series championship. While the team fell short of that goal last season, Cole’s performance on opening day was a reminder of why he was brought to New York in the first place.
On Thursday, March 30, Gerrit Cole made his highly anticipated season debut for the New York Yankees against the San Francisco Giants. On a cold and chilly afternoon, Cole struggled to grip the ball initially. However, that certainly did not reflect on his performance, as the ace went on to set a new opening-day record for the Bombers in just four innings.
Gerrit Cole Starts The Season With A Bang, Sets New Opening Day Record For The Yankees
The New York Yankees were poised for a perfect season opener against arch-rivals, the San Francisco Giants. Moreover, Gerrit Cole was given the honor of marking his fourth successive opening-day start for the Yankees. The ace pitcher did not disappoint, as he dominated the Giants lineup and set a new Yankees opening-day strikeout record. Cole struck out 10 batters over four innings, surpassing the previous record of 9 strikeouts held by Tim Leary in 1991.
The ace did not stop there and went on to record 95 pitches across six shutout innings. Gerrit Cole was later pulled out in the seventh inning with an overall record of three hits, two walks, and as many as 11 strikeouts. While the Yanks took home a thumping 5-0 win, he rejoiced about his performance. Calling it not one of his best, Cole said he tried to hit the strike zone as much as possible. Further, he credited Jose Trevino for an excellent job behind the plate. Moreover, speaking on the strikeout record, Cole humbly said he wasn’t aware of any such thing during the game. He was happy with five out, and anything above it was just a surplus.
Gleyber Torres Shuts The Critics, Proved His Worth On The Starting Lineup
The underfire baseman, Gleyber Torres, received a chance to feature on the opening-day lineup as a designated hitter. The stakes stayed high for Torres, who is fighting for his place in the Yankees camp. The game started with much uncertainty, but the baseman capitalized on the opportunity. In the fourth inning, facing Logan Webb, Torres hit his first two-run homer of the season. Moreover, he added another run on board by finishing a walk on the base.
After the game, Gleyber Torres addressed the rumors of his possible positioning in the team. Torres said he is unaware of any plans. For the time being, he is ready to play at any given position as long as it lands him in the starting lineup. Torres intends to play each game with the team. Hence, he would do whatever it takes from here on.