Aaron Boone isn’t sweating Gerrit Cole’s shaky start to season

DETROIT – A night after an outing that had Gerrit Cole visibly perplexed – and maybe even a bit shaken – his manager said he wasn’t sweating it.

“I really am encouraged,” Aaron Boone said before the Yankees tried to make it two wins in a row to start this three-game series against the Tigers. “His stuff is there – his breaking ball’s quality, the fastball profile. I think there’s probably a little bit of wanting to be perfect out there and making perfect pitches and I think that’s led to, at times out there, nibbling and not dictating counts like he usually does where he creates leverage for himself.”

Cole, after walking a batter but striking out three in a 22-pitch first inning Tuesday, did not make it out of the second, a 46-pitch frame in which he recorded two outs. Cole walked four in the inning, which matched a single-inning career high, giving him five walks overall, which matched his single-game career high.

“Certainly, never had anything like that in my career before,” Cole said after Tuesday’s game.  

Three games in, Cole has not recorded a decision in posting a 6.35 ERA.

“I think he’s got to not feel the need to be so perfect and just trust his stuff and go places in the strike zone,” Boone said Wednesday. “He’s going to take off. I’m telling you it’s coming. We just have to get through these first couple of wonky ones that haven’t gone his way. But everything there suggests he’s going to get there.”

Unexpected surprise

Among the many oddities from Tuesday night’s game, which included the teams combining for 10 hits and 16 walks, was Aroldis Chapman demonstrating some of the best command he’s had all season, striking out one in 1-2-3, nine-pitch ninth.

“It was good to see Chappy come in and just pound the strike zone,” Boone said. “He looked really strong.”

Chapman was part of an effort by five relievers to throw 7 1/3 scoreless innings after Cole’s departure, which gave the group a 1.80 ERA through the first 11 games, which ranked it best in the American League (and second in the Majors behind the Giants’ 1.69).

“I think they have a lot of confidence down there in one another,” Boone said of the relief corps feeding off one another. “When teams are at their best…whether it’s (the rotation), whether it’s the bullpen, whether it’s position players, you’re kind of pushing each other all the time. And I feel like that’s happening a little bit down there.”  

All should be in Toronto

One last time, Aaron Boone reiterated what he said Tuesday – he expects all of his players to be with the team May 2 in Toronto when the Yankees start a three-game series there. As of late in the spring, the Yankees had a handful of unvaccinated players, which would have made them ineligible to play in Toronto because of Canadian laws regarding the COVID-19 vaccine.

“I’m not expecting anyone to be out,” Boone said. “That’s my understanding.”