New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays: Gerrit Cole vs. Nick Martinez
The Yankees have a perfect chance to start cutting into the Rays’ division lead this weekend.
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 30: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees warms up prior to Game 5 of the 2024 World Series presented by Capital One between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, October 30, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images The New York Yankees are 4. 5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the best record in both the AL East and the American League writ large.
This weekend , they have a golden chance to cut down that deficit, facing them in a three-game series in the Bronx. New York split a four-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays, losing the last two and scoring the grand total of one run between the two games. If the Yanks are going to get closer to the Rays, they are going to need their offense to step up.
Gerrit Cole will be making his 2026 debut tonight, after wrapping up his rehab from Tommy John surgery performed last spring. He completed a long rehab assignment that included six starts across High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A, posting a 4. 66 ERA in 29 innings.
His most recent outing came in Scranton and included 5. 1 strong frames in which he conceded a single run on six hits and a walk, with six punchouts. Cole threw 86 pitches in his most recent rehab outing, hitting 99.