Gerrit Cole Exited The Game With Hamstring Tightness
Photo Via: Bill Kostroun — Associated Press
With two outs in the 4th inning tonight, the best pitcher on the Yankees exited the game with an injury. Gerrit Cole — who refused to be removed from his last start — handed the ball over with ease to Aaron Boone, who walked to the mound alongside the team trainer.
Naturally, speculation ensued. The most logical conclusion, as David Cone mentioned on the YES broadcast, is that Cole suffered a blister on his throwing hand.
But then the team released a statement that Cole exited due to left hamstring tightness. It is impossible to know how long Cole will be out until there are MRI results, but time is not of the essence with this Yankees squad. After a 13-game win streak concluded, the Yanks have stumbled to 2-7 over their last 9 game (and are currently trailing the Jays 4-1 in tonight’s game).
Is it panic time? Yes. Personally, I was on the brink of panicking even before the Cole injury. Now that I know he is almost certain to miss a start at the minimum? This team could very well miss the playoffs.
Guys need to step up. The lineup needs to mash. The bullpen needs to close out victories. There are three weeks that decide this team’s fate. Gerrit Cole being away from the team for any time period is a devastating blow.