NEW YORK — Hal Steinbrenner would never claim buyer’s remorse, but the fans he hopes will fill Yankee Stadium are starting to feel it a little bit. Sunday, in front of the biggest crowd since 2019, Gerrit Cole could not get out of the fourth inning against the New York Mets. He walked off the mound to loud boos for the first time in his career in pinstripes.
Cole allowed four earned runs on six hits. He walked three and struck out six in just 3.1 innings pitched. It was his shortest start since September 2018 when he allowed five runs in two innings with the Pirates. The day ended with Aroldis Chapman being booed off the field after blowing his third save in the last nine appearances.
The New York Yankees have to wonder if they built their pitching plans this year on players who cannot be the same under MLB’s “Sticky Stuff” crackdown. It could not have been a worse time for Cole and Chapman to hit rock bottom. The Yankees dropped to .500 with the 10-5 loss to the Mets in the afternoon and have buried themselves in the American League East and Wild Card race.
The Yankees put their ace on the mound needing a stopper and the Mets hit him consistently. It was yet another stark contrast to the pitcher Cole was in his first 11 starts of the season. In those games, he pitched to a 1.78 ERA, allowing 14 earned runs and five home runs. He struck out 97 and walked just nine.
Since June 3, Cole has allowed 20 earned runs and 10 home runs over 34.1 innings pitched. He has walked 11 and struck out 38. His ERA over that span is 5.24. From May 28 to Sunday, Cole’s overall ERA rose over a run a game to 2.91.
It just so happens that Chapman began his slide at the same time. Including the home run he gave up to Pete Alonso without recording an out in the seventh Sunday, Chapman has allowed 14 earned runs and five home runs in his last nine appearances, which included three blown saves. Opponents are hitting .483 against him in those appearances. He allowed just one earned run in his first 23 of the season.
The splits happen to be on either side of the MLB “Sticky Stuff” crackdown. Cole has been the poster child for the pitchers’ use of foreign tacky substances to get better spin rates, movement and control on their pitches. He was called out for a jump in his spin rate when he was traded to Houston in 2018 by controversial Dodgers’ pitcher — and Cole’s former college teammate — Trevor Bauer. His texts to Bobby “Bubba,” Harkins were cited in the former Angels clubhouse attendant’s wrongful termination lawsuit, which was dismissed. In the cited texts, Cole asks for help with a “Sticky Situation.” Last month, right before the decline began, Minnesota Twins slugger Josh Donaldson called out the fact that Cole’s spin rates dropped suddenly after MLB sent the message about the crackdown by suspending four minor league pitchers.
When asked if he was concerned if he was getting a different pitcher than expected when he gave Cole a nine-year, $324 million deal, Steinbrenner dismissed it.
“Gerrit Cole is a special, special guy. He’s obviously more than a one-pitch pitcher. His courage, his strength, his toughness. I’m just not worried about that right now based on a couple performances,” Steinbrenner said on Thursday when he spoke with reporters. “Time will tell right, as with any pitcher or any position player, because clearly the expectations are high.”
Expectations in the Bronx are never higher than when the Bombers are facing the Boston Red Sox, which was a dud for Cole a week ago, or when they play their crosstown rivals. Cole failed that test too.
Dominic Smith homered with two outs in the first. After the Yankees gave him a 4-1 lead and Cole blew it. He walked the lead off hitter in the fourth, gave up a single to Jeff McNeil and then walked Billy McKinney to load the bases. Tomas Nido linde an RBI single off Cole to score the first of three runs that inning. Brandon Nimmo lined another RBI-single that forced Aaron Boone to come out and get Cole. Jonathan Loaisiga gave up an RBI-single to Francisco Lindor to end the Mets’ rally.
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