Even though New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole was battered over the weekend by the Boston Red Sox, he remains the team’s best pitcher by a whole lot.
Not only that, but he managed to hang on to the AL ERA lead by the slightest of margins, per Codify Baseball.
American League ERA leaders right now:
Gerrit Cole, 3.0312
Kyle Bradish, 3.0313 pic.twitter.com/O3toV5sPti— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) August 21, 2023
Cole is leading the way with a 3.0312 ERA.
Baltimore Orioles breakout star Kyle Bradish is second with a 3.0313 mark.
That’s a narrow edge right there!
Cole hadn’t allowed five runs or more in a start since May 28 this year, when he coughed up that many against the San Diego Padres.
On Saturday, however, he conceded six earned runs in just four frames of work, an uncharacteristically high output considering his quality as a pitcher.
Overall, Cole has been one of the very few bright spots on the Yanks’ roster.
In 160.1 innings of work, he has the aforementioned ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and a 43/170 BB/K ratio.
He is actually in a very good position to win the first AL Cy Young award of his career.
He came awfully close in 2019 and 2021, but ultimately fell short.
Cole will need a strong finish to come out on top, because there are other top contenders in the American League.
While Cole has done his part, the rest of the staff and the offense have been so inconsistent that the Yanks actually have a losing record, at 60-64.
They look likely to miss the playoff party in 2023, but as long as Cole is healthy and leading the rotation, their chances of competing next year are intact.
NEXT: The Yankees' Offense Has Taken A Nosedive
