Cole (7-5) was pulled after nine innings with his pitch count at 99. If he had worked the 10th, he would have become the majors’ first pitcher to work 10 innings since Cliff Lee for the Phillies in 2012 and the first in the AL since Roy Halladay for the Blue Jays in 2007.

Ever since Gerrit Cole signed a nine-year, $324 million contract with the New York Yankees in December 2019, he has continued his dominant, decade-long run as one of MLB's best pitchers. In 123 appearances for the Yankees,

He almost certainly will not have to face Rafael Devers in the postseason. When Cole pitches to the Red Sox slugger, he loses. When Cole declines to pitch to Devers, he loses. The Yankees ace was rolling through three innings Saturday,