New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole has been stellar in 2022, even though it hasn’t nearly been his best year.
He currently has a 3.14 ERA in 80.1 innings, a bit far from the 2.50 ERA he posted in 2019.
But he has been good and dependable either way.
As good as he has been overall, he has been utterly dominating against a specific team: the Tampa Bay Rays.
Just last night, he flirted with a no-hitter against them, allowing his first hit in the eighth inning.
He ended up allowing a single run in 7.1 frames, with three walks and 12 strikeouts.
It was the latest gem against the Rays by Cole in a year full of them.
“Gerrit Cole vs. the Rays in 2022: 6IP | 2h | 1r | 10k; 6IP | 5h | 0r | 7k; 7.1 IP | 1h | 1r | 12k. He hasn’t been perfect this year, but those are all big time performances,” Eric Hubbs of Barstool Sports tweeted.
Gerrit Cole vs. the Rays in 2022
6IP | 2h | 1r | 10k
6IP | 5h | 0r | 7k
7.1 IP | 1h | 1r | 12kHe hasn't been perfect this year, but those are all big time performances
— Eric Hubbs (@BarstoolHubbs) June 21, 2022
The Rays Have Really Suffered Against Cole This Season
There are three outings listed by Hubbs, and he covered 19.1 innings while conceding just two earned runs.
That is incredibly impressive for Cole, who has had some issues with the Rays in the last few years (particularly with Ji-Man Choi).
Cole is looking better now than at the start of the season: he is currently third in the team in Wins Above Replacement (WAR), but that probably speaks more about Nestor Cortes Jr. and Jameson Taillon‘s phenomenal seasons than about Cole.
When all is said and done, he should be among the top-three vote-getters for the American League Cy Young award, just like last year.
The Yankees know they are covered in the “ace” department for as long as Cole is healthy.
NEXT: Gerrit Cole Comments On Why The Yankees Are Thriving
