Gerrit Cole's start vs. Astros had a silently concerning ending (or baffling Boone decision)

Through the first (nearly) three innings of Gerrit Cole's start against the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night, you thought he might go all the way. With two outs in the sixth, it suddenly became tough to envision him escaping the inning. Thankfully, he did, starting Taylor Trammell's at-bat at 78 pitches and retiring him on a first-pitch liner ... but Aaron Boone didn't see an escape hatch and a chance to push Cole further. He saw the Yankees' co-ace emptying the tank. And that's where it feels safe for us to ask ... why and how?

Cole was working with upper-tier stuff throughout the game, painting 98 to several Astros hitters caught staring. He was also pitching with an abnormal full week of rest, last starting on Thursday in Baltimore (and looking brilliant). Early on, it was clear the added rest hadn't affected the crispness of his pitches whatsoever. As the game continued, he made a few egregious mistakes — the 0-2 pitch to Isaac Paredes, the failure to finish Daulton Varsho off on 0-2 in the sixth, and the hanging eye candy that Christian Walker popped for the unicorn home run that left Cole screaming into his towel.

But what about Cole's outing screamed that he was done under 80 pitches, with a crucial four-game Boston series and a doubleheader looming (with a dying bullpen in tow)?

More than a bit concerning that that's the call Boone made, and a very unfortunate and swift journey from Cole's early work. It seemed like we were set up for the kind of brilliant start that lasts all night. We ended up with something highly abbreviated instead.

Yankees' rotation announcement vs. Red Sox also left us confused

Add in the double postgame whammy of the weekend pitching probables being announced with not one, but two TBD starters for Saturday's doubleheader, and the whirlwind of emotions crested. The Yankees said all along they'd be waiting to see how Max Fried escaped his Thursday throwing session before deciding on his viability for Saturday. That's all well and good. But why announce probables at all until you have that information? Seems like a fair assumption that Carlos Rodón won't be announced until we have a definitive answer on Fried, because the order of operations determines how many extra pitchers can be used to cover the back half of Game 1. But ... still, not seeing his name was disconcerting. For the hundredth time, why make a partial announcement?

Thankfully — well, not thankfully, the Yankees suffered a loss in a game they should've captured with ease against Hayden Wesneski and the fading Astros, but you get it — Boone was not heavily punished for the early Cole hook. Yerry de los Santos went an inning, then Justin Topa covered two. David Bednar was not used in this series (and was used once against the Jays), and the bullpen core got a one-night breather.

The decision to yank Cole resulted in a near-surrender rather than some 'pen sweat. But it's still fair to ask what happened to Cole at such a low pitch count, and whether Boone could merely sense his starter's frustration and deterioration, or if there was something more at work here. Because you know, if it were up to Cole, he would've pushed even harder. Maybe the potential for frustrated pushing and straining was the real concern.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow