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Yankees: Was Gerrit Cole angry with Clint Frazier for defensive effort on Friday?

Thomas Carannante|
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 24: Starting pitcher Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees reacts after giving up a triple during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on April 24, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 24: Starting pitcher Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees reacts after giving up a triple during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on April 24, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

If not for the New York Yankees routing the Detroit Tigers 10-0 on Friday night, perhaps this would have been a bigger story.

In the top of the fourth inning, after striking out the first two batters, Cole had an 0-2 count on Jonathan Schoop. The right-hander tried to blow a fastball by him, but Schoop took it to left field.

Was it catchable? Perhaps, if Clint Frazier made a really good read right off the bat and made a diving grab. But we don’t really know what he was doing here.

Frazier gingerly approached the ball with his glove in the air as if he was battling the sun (?), played the ball on a hop, and then, once again, fired his throw into no man’s land.

Cole? Not entirely happy. At least based on his body language.

It’s possible Cole was simply mad at himself for allowing the single, but many on social media seem to think he was expressing frustration with Frazier, who has done this before while the Yankees’ ace was on the mound.

Can we just hit the cut-off man, Clint? One time?

Remember this play from earlier in the month? Almost the exact same thing.

This was a Gold Glove nominee in 2020. And it’s been a really rough start for Frazier on defense in 2021 … a season in which he was named the starting left field in spring training.

With the way Cole has been pitching — he’s been making history after just six outings — it wouldn’t be surprising at all if he’s not accepting anything less than heads-up and all-out defensive performances. And a guy like Frazier, who’s shaky on defense and isn’t exactly regarded as a mistake-free, locked-in teammate, certainly isn’t an ideal defender to have behind you.

Judge for yourself. Also … how deep is Frazier playing here? Schoop isn’t exactly a fearsome power hitter. Was that Frazier’s doing or the Yankees’ defensive alignment?

Again, really not sure, but Frazier’s play coupled with Cole’s body language didn’t make for a good pairing.

And to kick off Saturday? Frazier dropped a fly ball and made an error on the first batter of the game.

The Yankees are going to have to do something about his defense — specifically his awareness — if he’s going to be a starting outfielder.

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